washington – Republicans take control of the US Senate.

The party will have at least 51 seats, enough for an absolute majority. The landmark seat was Nebraska, where Republican incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer defeated independent challenger Dan Osborn.

It is not yet clear who the next Senate majority leader will be. Republican leader Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, announced he would resign earlier this year.

Senate Republicans had an advantage this cycle because they had few officials to protect; This allowed them to challenge the Democrats with hand-picked, often wealthy individuals. Democrats’ narrow majority was almost certain to shift to at least a 50-50 split with Republicans. Retirement of independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

The dome of the U.S. Capitol is seen at dusk on November 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Source: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The last time the GOP had a majority in the Senate was January 2021, before Democrats took control of the Senate in a 50-50 split. If the votes are split, the vice president can call the tiebreaker, which gave Democrats a one-vote majority in Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats increased their majority to 51-49 in the 2022 midterm elections.

Here’s a look at some of this year’s key Senate races that determine the balance of power in the upper chamber:

Pennsylvania: Bob Casey vs. David McCormick

The Senate race in Pennsylvania between Bob Casey and David McCormack was crucial to Democrats’ efforts to defend their razor-thin majority in the Senate.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Casey once described himself as a “pro-life Democrat” but changed his stance on abortion rights after the election. The Supreme Court will rule on Roe v. in 2022. Wade overturns his case. Casey has a strong relationship with Biden but has opposed the administration on some issues in the past and supported some of Trump’s trade policies. He has been in the Senate since 2007.

McCormick is the former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, and served as deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs under former President George W. Bush.

Wisconsin: Tammy Baldwin – Eric Hovde

The race in the Wisconsin Senate between incumbent Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde was seen as the toughest political environment of Baldwin’s three races.

Baldwin is a lawyer who has been in politics since 1986. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate in 2012.

Hovde is a multimillionaire and the CEO of Hovde Properties, a real estate company. It was founded by his grandfather in 1933.

Ohio: Sherrod Brown vs. Bernie Moreno

Democratic Incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a hotly contested re-election race against GOP candidate Bernie Moreno.

RELATING TO: Ohio’s Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno: What you need to know

Brown is the only statewide elected official in Ohio, an increasingly red state. His campaign aimed to attract independent and Republican voters in the record-breaking $400 million-plus contest.

Moreno, who is supported by Donald Trump, is a wealthy Colombian-born businessman and car dealership owner from Cleveland.

Maryland: Larry Hogan vs. Angela Alsobrooks

Maryland Senate race among veterans Governor Larry Hogan and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks He is filling the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin.

Hogan is a two-term governor who enjoyed broad popularity during his time in office across the state. openly opposed former President Donald Trump and said that although Trump supported Hogan in the Senate race, he never voted for him.

Alsobrooks prioritized abortion rights during her campaign, citing Hogan’s actions in office as evidence that he falls short of defending a woman’s right to choose.

Montana: Jon Tester – Tim Sheehy

Montana’s Democratic incumbent, Sen. Jon Tester, faces his toughest race yet against Republican Tim Sheehy, a millionaire businessman and former Navy SEAL.

Senate Republicans viewed Montana as their best chance to unseat a Democrat, but Tester is a popular figure in the Big Sky state, where more than $238 million is spent on advertising.

Sheehy was ahead in the polls but also faced scrutiny for allegedly being shot in the arm during a firefight in Afghanistan. A ranger at Glacier National Park came forward and said Sheehy accidentally shot himself while traveling with his family in 2015 and that his gun fell from a vehicle and went off in a parking lot in Logan Pass.

Florida: Rick Scott vs. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell

Incumbent Republican Senator Rick Scott faces former congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in the Florida Senate race.

Scott, a former governor and close ally of Donald Trump, was running for a second term in the Senate. Mitch McConnell has said he plans to run for Senate Republican leader when he leaves office.

According to the House of Representatives website, Mucarsel-Powell was the first South American-born immigrant elected to Congress. He served one term before losing to Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez in 2020.

Texas: Ted Cruz – Colin Allred

The Texas Senate contest between incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred was one of the only races in which a Republican senator was in a competitive race.

Allred, a former NFL player who left his party over President Joe Biden’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, was still seen as the underdog to Cruz: It’s been 30 years since Democrats won a statewide race in the Lone Star State.

Arizona: Ruben Gallego – Lake Kari

Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake, a former television host, were in the race to replace outgoing Independent Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema, who is not seeking re-election.

Gallego, a retired Marine and longtime congressman representing the Phoenix area, was seen as a trailblazer.

Lake quickly became a populist favorite after abandoning her career as a local television news anchor to run for governor in 2022. She lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs.

West Virginia: Jim Justice v. Glenn Elliott

of West Virginia U.S. Senate race between Governor Jim Justice and Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott This process was expected to result in Democrats losing the seat that Senator Joe Manchin had held for 14 years.

Manchin, 76, was the only Democrat to hold statewide office West Virginia before leaving the party and registering as an independent in May.

RELATING TO: West Virginia Senate race between Jim Justice and Glenn Elliott: What you need to know

Justice, 73, has served as governor of West Virginia since 2017. Justice and his family own dozens of companies and are worth more than $1.5 billion. Forbes. He was ahead by double digits in every poll leading up to Election Day.

Elliott, 52, is an attorney who has served as mayor of Wheeling since 2016.