Kellan Howell
Cortez Masto Wins In Nevada, Giving Democrats Senate Control
Democrats now hold a 50-49 edge in the Senate.
LEARN MOREPosted: 7:23 p.m. EST Nov 13, 2022
Democrats are celebrating today after thwarting Republican efforts to flip the Senate.
"This is such a cause for the celebration," said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Incumbent Democrat Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won her neck-and-neck race in Nevada Saturday night.
"So, when far right Republicans said they knew better, I knew we would prove them wrong," said Cortez Masto.
Giving Democrats the 50 seats they needed to keep their majority in the upper chamber. Democrat lawmakers on Sunday said her victory, and their ability to keep the Senate, is a reflection of the surprising support voters had for their agenda.
"We won because we had a really good agenda that we actually passed that helped the American people and things they cared about," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Some GOP Senators blamed former president Donald Trump's influence for their party's underperformance.
"Those who were most closely aligned with the former president underperformed. Those who are talking about the future, who have managed their states well, they overperformed. The American people want ideas, they want a future," said Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Control of one seat remains to be decided in Georgia. That election will go to a runoff, but already lawmakers, and the president are optimistic that incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock will edge out Republican Herschel Walker at the polls in December.
"We're focusing now on Georgia. I feel good about where we are. I know I'm a cockeyed optimist, I understand that," said President Joe Biden.
Democrat control of the Senate will make it easier for President Biden's nominees and judicial picks to be confirmed.
They will also keep control of powerful Senate Committees that will be able to conduct oversight and investigations.
The razor thin majority means Democrats won't have enough votes to defeat a filibuster and sets the stage for likely standoffs over federal spending.
Some lawmakers are warning that Republicans could seek to use a critical vote to raise the debt limit to leverage spending cuts, with some GOP lawmakers calling for reforms to Social Security and Medicare.
"If they can create chaos in the economy, they think that is moves Donald Trump one more inch toward election. So, we have to take care during the lame take, take care of raising the debt limit or getting rid of it altogether," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
But Senate Democrats will be able to reject any legislation sent over by House Republicans, if they are able to win the majority in the lower chamber.
A handful of House seats are still up in the air. Although the GOP is expected to win a slight majority, House Speaker Pelosi said Sunday that control of the House is anybody's game.
"I've said this is like the Olympics. Half a second you can be gold, silver, bronze or honored to be an Olympian. We'll see where this takes us. I think you see a path to the future that is much brighter than what was predicted by the punditry and those who wanted us to change our message," said Pelosi.
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