Former Senior White House Advisor Karl Rove on the likelihood of a Republican Senate majority. Plus, his predictions for House, gubernatorial and state legislative races. Photo: Getty Images
US residents head to the polls for the midterm elections. AFP Photo/Paul J. Richards Source: AFP
REPUBLICANS have seized control of the US Senate in a result that will cause major headaches for President Barack Obama.
Within hours of the first polls closing for the US midterms, Republicans won three of the six seats needed to take over the Senate majority: South Dakota, Arkansas and West Virginia.
It went on to pick up a total of seven Democratic-held seats including North Carolina, Montana, Iowa and Colorado. While Democrats failed to pick up a single Republican seat.
Both AP and CNN declared a Republican victory in the Senate about 11.30pm (eastern standard time). CNN celebrated its prediction by lighting up the Empire State Building.
Republicans were also expected to increase their majority in the House of Representatives.
According to NBC, it is the first time in eight years that Republicans will rule both the House and Senate.
The latest count from CNN has the Republicans on at least 53 seats, and the Democrats with 45 seats.
In a bad omen for Mr Obama, early results projected Republican senator Mitch McConnell would win the seat of Kentucky.
A voter takes a sticker after casting a ballot at a polling station during the midterm elections. Picture: Joshua Lott/Getty Images/AFP Source: AFP
The seat was expected to be one of several crucial Senate positions up for grabs, but the Republican leader managed to hold on to his seat.
Contests remain undecided in Alaska and Virginia. Louisiana will go to a run-off as none of the candidates were able to get more than 50 per cent of the vote. This means voters will have to wait at least a month for a result.
There is a surprisingly close race in Virginia, which was expected to be retained by Democrat, Senator Mark Warner, but where Republican strategist Ed Gillespie was briefly leading. Warner now only holds a lead of almost 13,000 votes with 99.5 per cent of the vote counted.
Close results in Senate race for New Hampshire. Source: Supplied
The Republicans are also expected to keep control of the House of Representatives.
Obama will be watching the results closely as a Republican victory in the Senate will make it very hard for his party to set the agenda. This is because the Democrats will not have control over the House of Representatives or the Senate.
But if the Republicans do take control of both chambers, Mr Obama will still be able to veto anything they pass.
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Every four years, halfway between presidential elections, Americans vote for congressmen, senators and governors. This time, 435 House seats, 36 Senate seats and 36 governorships are up for grabs.
Twenty-one of the 36 Senate seats were held by Democrats, the Republicans needed to pick up six to form a majority.
In the House of Representatives, the Republicans were likely to continue to hold a majority, with all 435 seats up for grabs today.
Of the 36 governorships, 22 were held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats.
SENATE RESULTS
Republicans have gained the extra six seats they need for a Senate majority, with victories in seven states Arkansas, South Dakota, West Virginia, Montana, North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa.
AP called Kentucky for Republican Mitch McConnell just one minute after polls closed.
McConnell will now likely fulfil his longtime dream of becoming majority leader, one of the most powerful positions in Washington. While he is seen as a conservative with little charisma, he does have sharp political skills.
He's opposed Obama on health care reform and other issues, but also helped broker bipartisan deals that ended last year's government shutdown and averted a 2011 federal default.
Republicans gained a Senate seat in West Virginia, where Shelley Moore Capito will succeed retiring Senator Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat. They took another in Arkansas, where Republican Tom Cotton ousted Democrat Senator Mark Pryor.
Contests remain undecided in Louisiana and Virginia. Alaska's is not expected to be known for a while as polls closed at 1am (EST) and it is usually very slow to count ballots, however CNN analysts believe it will go to the Republicans based on exit polls and voting sentiment across the country.
There is a surprisingly close race in Virginia, which was expected to be retained by Democrat, Senator Mark Warner, but where Republican strategist Ed Gillespie was briefly leading.
GOVERNOR RACE
There are 36 states which are voting on governorships.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has made history by losing his re-election bid. The Republican is the first incumbent to lose in the four decades since a change in the law allowed the state's chief executive to run again. He was defeated by Democrat Tom Wolf, a businessman.
Meanwhile, the contest to be the next governor of Florida came down to the wire.
Democrat Charlie Crist has reportedly called Republican Rick Scott to concede.
Earlier, Crist lodged an emergency motion to extend voting hours in Broward by two hours, but this was denied.
Former Republican Florida Governor who is now running as a Democratic candidate, Charlie Crist, fist bumping a supporter. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP Source: AFP
In New Hampshire, Democrat Maggie Hassan won re-election.
Democrats have also captured Senate races in Delaware and Rhode Island. Chris Coons won a full six-year term in Delaware after winning a 2010 special election for Joe Biden's former seat. And Democrat Jack Reed was re-elected in Rhode Island.
In Virginia, the college professor who pulled off a stunning upset of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Republican primary, Dave Brat, was elected to Cantor's House seat.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
With dozens of House races uncalled, Republicans had picked up nine seats in Democratic hands, and given up only one.
A net pick-up of 13 would give them more seats in the House than at any time since 1946.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Republican Elise Stefanik, made history by becoming the youngest woman elected to the US Congress, shattering a record set before she was born.
The former White House aide to president George W. Bush, won New York's upstate 21st district, beating her Democrat rival, film producer Aaron Woolf.
"We did it!" shouted a beaming Stefanik in her acceptance speech. "Tonight we made a little history in the North Country.
"I am honoured and humbled to be the youngest woman ever elected to the United States Congress and to add an additional crack to the glass ceiling to future generations of women here tonight."
GETTING THE VOTE OUT
Getting people to vote in the midterms can be difficult but can impact results, so Cosmopolitan magazine are proving the old advertising adage "sex sells".
Television networks are also taking the election seriously, as demonstrated by CNN's wall of 24 live correspondents.
But that doesn't mean people can't have a bit of fun at the expense of the candidates.
A voter photobombs Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as he votes. Source: AFP
You have to remember, this is the country where campaign videos feature candidates saying they want to make Washington squeal: "I grew up castrating hogs ... so when I get to Washington I'll know how to cut pork," said Republican candidate Joni Ernst.
CAN BEARS EAT DOUGHNUTS?
Many states are also holding ballots on specific issues, including whether marijuana should be legalised, changes to abortion, allowing gambling, background checks for gun sales, labelling of genetically modified foods and whether you should be able to trap a bear using bait like doughnuts.
Bob Parker, owner of Stony Brook Outfitters, dumps a mix of doughnuts and granola into a barrel at a bear-hunting bait site near Wilton, Maine. If Maine voters decide to ban the use of bait, dogs, and traps to hunt black bears, Parker says he'll be out of business. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty Source: AP
Two black bear cubs pause as they climb a tree in a residential area of Kingston Township, Pennsylvania. AP Photo/Citizens' Voice, Andrew Krech Source: AP
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