GOP Senate majority unknown due to questions in AZ, PA races

[Craig Nigrelli]

OVER THE WEEKEND THERE WERE SOME IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEW MAKEUP OF THE U.S. SENATE.  WHILE SOME QUESTIONS REMAIN – ONE THING IS CLEAR, REPUBLICANS WILL TAKE OVER CONTROL OF THE LAWMAKING BODY.
ACCORDING TO DECISION DESK HQ, REPUBLICANS HOLD A 52-47 LEAD WITH THE RACE  IN PENNSYLVANIA STILL HANGING IN THE BALANCE.
IN THAT RACE, REPUBLICAN DAVE MCCORMICK LEADS INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT BOB CASEY JR. BY ABOUT 40,000 VOTES WITH NBC NEWS REPORTING THERE ARE 122,000 BALLOTS LEFT TO BE COUNTED.   MCCORMICK HAS DECLARED VICTORY AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AGREES.  HOWEVER, DEMOCRATS ARE STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT CASEY CAN PULL IT OFF.
ON SATURDAY, THE A-P CALLED THE NEVADA RACE FOR SENATE FOR INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT JACKY ROSEN.  THAT TOO WAS A TIGHT RACE IN A BATTLEGROUND STATE, WITH ROSEN HOLDING OFF REPUBLICAN SAM BROWN BY ABOUT 20,000 VOTES.
IN ARIZONA, THERE IS A BIT OF CONTROVERSY.  DECISION DESK HQ HAS DECLARED DEMOCRAT RUBEN GALLEGO THE WINNER OVER REPUBLICAN KARI LAKE AND PUT IT IN THE DEMOCRATS COLUMN. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS YET TO CALL THAT RACE SAYING “ There are still hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count.”

GALLEGO IS UP BY ABOUT 66,000 VOTES.

Going into the election last week, Republicans needed to flip two seats, held by Democrats, to take over leadership of the Senate.  The GOP did that by winning in West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.  If McCormick holds on in Pennsylvania,  Republicans would have a 53-47 majority come January.

IT’S WORTH NOTING, THAT SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER HAS YET TO INVITE MCCORMICK OR DEMOCRAT RUBEN GALLEGO OF ARIZONA, TO WASHINGTON FOR ORIENTATION ON WEDNESDAY, BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THEIR RACES.

also ON WEDNESDAY – REPUBLICANS PLAN TO VOTE FOR THE NEXT SENATE MAJORITY LEADER WHO WILL BEGIN SERVING IN JANUARY.

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