Boost for Biden: Democrats hold control of Senate as another Trump-backed candidate loses
13 November 2022, 07:10 | Updated: 13 November 2022, 07:14
Joe Biden has been given a boost after the Democrats retained control of the Senate in the wake of the US midterm elections.
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His party managed to beat the Republicans for a seat in Nevada, according to projections, meaning they will have at least 50 seats in the 100-member upper house of Congress.
Even if the Republicans take a seat in Georgia – which will go to a run-off election next month – a split Senate would allow vice president Kamala Harris to cast a deciding vote, ensuring the Democrats retain control.
Parties who have a president in power typically perform worse during midterm elections. This is the best set of results for a governing party for 20 years.
Mr Biden said: "I'm not surprised by the turnout. I'm incredibly pleased. And I think it's a reflection of the quality of our candidates."
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is due to beat Adam Laxalt in Nevada.
Read more: Dead American politician wins election in stunning landslide
He was backed by Donald Trump, who tried to throw his weight behind certain candidates in the run up to the election.
But many of them fared much worse than their non-Trump endorsed candidates, suggesting his star may have fallen among more voters.
It has set up an intriguing Republican race for the nomination to fight for the White House in 2024, with Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, perhaps due to go toe-to-toe with Mr Trump.
Mr Laxalt controversially backed Mr Trump's baseless claims of fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
And Mr Trump returned to making allegations, without any evidence, about voting in some states.
"The Democrats are finding all sorts of votes in Nevada and Arizona. What a disgrace that this can be allowed to happen!" he wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform.
The Democrats could still lose control of the House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress, with vote counting in some districts still ongoing.
It would leave the US legislature split and force a more bipartisan way of law making.
The Senate approves certain appointments made by the president and can block legislation made by the House of Representatives.
