Democrats regain control of US Senate and close in on House majority

The Democratic Party has regained control of the US Senate following the midterm elections, winning at least 51 of the 100 seats. The Democrats have also made significant gains in the House of Representatives and are closing in on a majority there, although vote counting is still under way.

According to the Associated Press, the Democrats have won in several states previously carried by Republicans and have already flipped seven seats in the House of Representatives. A majority in the lower chamber of Congress requires 218 of the 435 seats.

One of the Democrats’ most notable victories came in the Senate race in Texas, where James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton, a Republican backed by Donald Trump. This is the first time a Democrat has won a Senate race in the state since 1988. The seat was previously held by John Cornyn, a Republican.

The states where Democrats managed to win seats from Republicans also include South Carolina, Kansas and other traditionally Republican regions, Axios reports.