A Senate win would help Joe Biden pass legislation, but a Republican victory would hugely hinder him. And one state matters most.
The race to the White House has a clear winner, but another crucial US election battle is still being fought. Even after Joe Biden’s victory is formally declared, the extent of the Democrats’ power in Washington will hang in the balance until control of the US Senate is determined. And that is unlikely to be decided until Georgia holds run-off elections for both of its seats in January – the results of which may determine just how much America’s next president is able to achieve. Latest updates from the US election How did we get here? The Democrats have not had control of the Senate for six years. Currently, Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority. To keep control, the Republicans need to hold at least 51 seats. As things stand, neither party has reached that target, with the current count projecting 48 red seats and 48 blue. In the 2020 race, the Democrats have flipped just two seats, in Colorado and Arizona, giving them a net gain of one – well short of the progress the party had hoped to achieve. Should the Democrats win both seats in Georgia, the parties would be set to tie 50-50, as the Republicans are all but assured of winning North Carolina and Alaska.
