US midterm elections: Democrats maintain hold Senate following Cortez Masto's re-election

US President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party defied pundits' predictions in the midterm elections that took place last week. Democrats maintained their majority in the Senate, following the re-election victory of Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada.

Cortez Masto’s re-election victory in Nevada cemented the Democratic Party’s control of the Senate after she was declared the winner Saturday. Cortez Masto’s election victory gave the party the 50 Senate seats needed to hold the majority. Vice President Kamala Harris would still be the tie-breaking vote should the chamber remain evenly divided.

Following the results in Nevada, the party’s control of the Senate would be reinforced in a runoff race in Georgia, with Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock facing GOP candidate Herschel Walker.

It remains to be seen which party would get the 218 seats needed to hold the majority in the House of Representatives as ballot counting is still ongoing in several states.

With Democrats still in control of the Senate, there would be a smoother confirmation process for Biden’s appointees in the cabinet and the judiciary and potential Supreme Court vacancies. The Democratic Party would also retain control of committees and have the power to launch investigations or oversight of the Biden administration and would be able to reject any legislation Republicans pass in the House should the GOP win the majority.

“I’m not surprised by the turnout, I’m incredibly pleased,” Biden told reporters. “And I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates. We feel good about where we are, and I know I’m a cockeyed optimist.”

“We got a lot done and we’ll do a lot more for the American people,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “The American people rejected – soundly rejected – the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty, and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country.”

Five states that were won by Democrats, including Michigan, had the issue of abortion rights on the ballot in the midterms following the strike down by the Supreme Court of the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing access to the procedure. Michigan passed a ballot measure that would ensure protections for reproductive rights.

The measure, known as Proposal 3, gathered a lot of support compared to any other ballot initiative in the state’s history. The measure would block the enforcement of a 1931 state law that criminalized abortion except in cases where the parent’s life is at risk.