Democrats retain control of Senate

Democrats yesterday celebrated a stunning victory to hold the US Senate, leaving Republicans in disarray and providing a critical base of political and legislative support for the remainder of Joe Biden's presidency.

Midterms traditionally deliver a rejection of the party in power, and with inflation surging and Biden's popularity in the doldrums, Republicans had been expecting to ride a mighty "red wave" and capture the Senate and the House of Representatives.

But the wave never got much beyond a ripple, and on Saturday US networks called the key Senate race in Nevada for Democrat incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, giving the party the 50 seats it needs for an effective majority.

The win clinches Democratic control in the Senate as Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote if the upper chamber is evenly split 50-50.

President Joe Biden said yesterday he was "not surprised" but "incredibly pleased" with the turnout in the US midterm elections after Democrats clinched control of the Senate, reports Reuters.

"I feel good and I'm looking forward to the next couple years," Biden said of the result, speaking at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Phnom Penh.

Biden, due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit today, said control of the Senate would bolster his position in the talks. "I know I'm coming in stronger," he said of the midterms' impact.

One Senate race remains up in the air -- a runoff in Georgia set for December 6, in which the Democrats could add to their majority.

Maintaining control of the Senate means Biden and the Democrats will retain key leverage in legislative debates, particularly in domestic and foreign spending policy, reports AFP.

The result in the House of Representatives still hangs in the balance, and while Republicans are slightly favoured to take control, it would be with a far smaller majority than they had envisaged going into Tuesday's election.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was quick to ring in his party's win, tweeting the result was a "vindication" of Democrats' achievements.