US midterm elections: Democrats win 51 Senate seats

Unofficial results from the US midterm elections show the distribution of seats in the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress, largely settled, with a shift that has significantly affected the political balance.

“Operative Information Center-OMM” reports, citing the Associated Press (AP), that the Democratic Party reached 51 Senate seats, reclaiming the majority from Republicans.

Democrats secured the advantage by winning Republican-held seats in six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Kansas and Iowa. With 51 of the Senate’s 100 seats, Democrats gained a significant strategic advantage in controlling the legislative branch in relation to US President Donald Trump.

In US midterm elections, voters choose state governors and local officials, as well as all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 members.

Under the US electoral system, all 435 House members are elected every two years. Senators serve six-year terms, with roughly one-third of the 100 seats contested every two years. A majority of 218 seats in the House and 51 in the Senate is required to pass legislation.