Democrats retain control of Senate, NBC News projects | Main stories

WASHINGTON – (NBC News) Democrats defied historic trends and defeated several candidates to retain control of Senate.

The battle for Art Housemeanwhile, it remains too close to call.

The Senate picture became clearer late Saturday after Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masta of Nevada narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt to win re-election, surpassing her party’s threshold, NBC News reported Saturday.

– Thank you, Nevada! – said Cortes Masta tweet Saturday night after the two most populous counties, Clark and Washoe, finished counting mail-in ballots.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona won his re-election bid in Arizona, NBC News reported Friday night, turning all eyes to Nevada. Both Laxalt and Masters were endorsed by Trump and promoted his false claims about the presidential race, which he lost.

“I feel good for the country. Because so many people were worried — and I was — about this democracy,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a press conference Saturday night. “America has shown that we believe in our democracy. That the roots of our democracy are deep and strong. And that she will prevail while we fight for her.”

He added that Republicans are hampered by “flawed candidates who have no faith in democracy, loyalty to the truth and honor.”

Mast’s victory means Democrats will remain in the Senate regardless of the outcome of a runoff in Georgia on Dec. 6, when Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, and Herschel Walker, a Republican, face each other again after neither cleared the 50 percent threshold. required by state law.

A Walker victory would preserve a 50-50 tie in the Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris casts the deciding vote for Democrats.

A Warnock win would make it 51-49, giving Democrats one extra vote in a chamber where they have often been stymied by internal dissent from members like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Biden can now count on his Senate partners to confirm his judicial and administrative appointments, even if his legislative agenda is effectively blocked by the Republican takeover of the House.

“I feel good and I’m looking forward to the next few years,” Biden told reporters in response to the Senate results around 11 a.m. local time in Cambodia, where the president is attending a summit of world leaders. candidates and said that they all “follow the same program”.