After Trump's victory, Democrats lean on Congress

For the first time, two Democratic politicians, Lisa Blunt Rochester (left) and Angela Alsobrooks (right), will have two black women represented in the Senate.Image: trapezoid

After Donald Trump was elected as the 47th President of the United States, Congress became the focus. Republicans have won the Senate, but House races are still ongoing.

Donald Trump will become the next President of the United States. This means that Republicans have once again taken over the highest office in the United States after four years.

But Republicans could also win the sole majority in Congress, the two chambers of Congress that comprise the Senate and House of Representatives. That would allow the Trump administration to give it a go.

An overview of the most important decisions of both chambers to date.

Senate

For a party to gain a majority in the Senate (equivalent to the Swiss Federal Council), it needs 51 seats. In yesterday's election, the Republicans took three seats from the Democrats, giving them a 52-seat majority.

Shortly after midnight (local time), Republicans achieved a decisive breakthrough in the Senate, with Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska taking on independent challenger Dan Osborn. Defended his seat in the competition.

FILE - This combined image shows, from left, independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborne, left, in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 15, 2024, and his opponent in March in Washington Sen. Deb Fisher, R-Nebraska. .

Fisher (right) defends his seat against Osborne (left)Image: trapezoid

Ohio

Republicans scored an important victory in the race for Ohio's Senate seat, with Bernie Moreno defeating Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown.

Moreno (right) takes the seat from Brown (left)Image: trapezoid

west virginia

Republican Jim Justice won the Democratic seat. Democratic candidate Glenn Elliott has no chance.

Justice (right) takes the seat from Elliott (left).Image: trapezoid

Montana

Democratic incumbent Jon Tester had to concede defeat to Republican challenger Tim Sheehy.

Sheehy (right) takes over the seat from Tester (left)Image: trapezoid

Warren, Sanders and Cruz re-elected

A total of 34 of the 100 Senate seats are on the ballot in this election, with 11 seats considered to be particularly hotly contested. Prominent senators from both parties successfully defended their titles.

For example, Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, and Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, were re-elected.

Historic Innovation in the Senate: Two black women — Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — will attend together for the first time.

House of Representatives

Races for the House of Representatives (the Swiss equivalent of the National Assembly) remain open. The count could take days or even weeks.

Democrats hope to gain majority in House and current House of Representatives by picking up just a few seats Republicans hold 220 to 212 seats break in. The results of several games are still up in the air.

It's entirely possible that the House of Representatives could fall to Democrats. If that happens, it would be the first simultaneous but opposite “swapping” of the two houses of Congress in a long time. The fragmentation of power has led to political blockades between the House and Senate, making effective legislation more difficult.

Prominent MPs defend mission

Some prominent representatives from both parties in the House have already been re-elected, including Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Republican hardliners Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor. Green. Current House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, also retained his seat.

First transgender woman in Congress

Sarah McBride is the first transgender woman to serve in the House of Representatives. McBride won the only seat in a traditionally Democratic voting state on the East Coast.