Democrats await Nevada election result that could seal their U.S. Senate majority - Reuters

PHOENIX, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Democrats connected Saturday were 1 spot distant from bulk power of the U.S. Senate adjacent year, arsenic vote-counting successful profoundly divided Nevada continued pursuing Tuesday's midterm elections and campaigning kicked disconnected for a Dec. 6 runoff successful Georgia.

If incumbent Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto manages to fend disconnected Republican Adam Laxalt successful Nevada, her enactment would past power 50 of the Senate's 100 seats.

A Democratic triumph successful Georgia adjacent month would past springiness the enactment outright bulk power of a 51-49 Senate. A Democratic nonaccomplishment successful Georgia and a triumph successful Nevada would inactive enactment Democrats successful complaint of a 50-50 Senate, arsenic Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris tin interruption necktie votes.

The Senate presently is divided 50-50 betwixt Democrats and Republicans. The newly-elected Senate volition beryllium sworn successful connected Jan. 3.

With astir 97% of the ballot counted successful the Nevada Senate race, Laxalt was starring by astir 800 votes. However, uncounted votes from Cortez Masto strongholds could vault her to victory.

Suspense implicit power of the Senate came arsenic it besides was inactive chartless which enactment volition clasp the bulk successful the U.S. House of Representatives for the adjacent 2 years. Republicans continued to person an edge, but returns were inactive flowing successful for respective races, including galore successful liberal-leaning California.

It could instrumentality astatine slightest a fewer much days earlier the result of capable House races are known to find enactment power of that 435-seat chamber.

Democrats got an important boost precocious connected Friday erstwhile Democratic Senator Mark Kelly was projected to clasp onto his spot successful Arizona, defeating Republican Blake Masters, who has not yet conceded the race.

Kelly, a erstwhile Navy combat aviator and astronaut, delivered a abbreviated triumph code to his supporters successful Phoenix connected Saturday with his wife, erstwhile Democratic Representative Gabby Giffords, astatine his side. His remarks focused connected moving successful Congress successful a bipartisan manner.

Kelly did not notation Masters, but said: "We've seen the consequences that travel erstwhile leaders garbage to judge the information and absorption much connected conspiracies of the past than solving the challenges that we look today."

Tuesday's midterm elections saw galore Republican candidates, including Masters, echo erstwhile President Donald Trump's mendacious contention that helium mislaid the 2020 predetermination to Biden due to the fact that of monolithic elector fraud.

No victor was projected yet successful the contention for Arizona governor, wherever Democrat Katie Hobbs holds a constrictive pb implicit Republican Kari Lake.

(Live predetermination results from astir the state are here)

JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS AT STAKE

A Democratic-controlled Senate would supply security to President Joe Biden that his nominees to capable dozens of national judgeships would triumph confirmation nether the guidance of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

That would beryllium peculiarly important to Democrats if a spot connected the U.S. Supreme Court, which present has a 6-3 blimpish bent, were to unfastened up successful the last 2 years of Biden's term.

When the outgoing Senate returns connected Monday for a post-election enactment league that could tally done precocious December, Schumer aims to instantly corroborate 2 much national judges awaiting last votes.

However, if Cortez Masto fails to outpace Laxalt and Democrats besides suffer successful Georgia, Schumer volition person to walk acold much clip pushing done judicial nominations earlier relinquishing powerfulness connected Jan. 3, aft which Senate Republicans would person the quality either to cull oregon slow-walk confirmation of Biden nominees.

Hovering implicit the 2022 midterm elections each twelvemonth has been Trump, who utilized his continued popularity among hard-right conservatives to power the candidates the Republican Party nominated for congressional, gubernatorial and section races.

With Republicans' lackluster show connected Tuesday -- adjacent if they bash triumph constrictive bulk power of either the Senate oregon House -- Trump has been blamed for boosting candidates who were incapable to entreaty to a wide capable electorate.

Both Laxalt and Herschel Walker, the Republican moving to unseat Senator Raphael Warnock successful Georgia, won Trump's backing. Republican losses successful either of these 2 races could further dampen Trump's popularity arsenic advisers accidental helium considers announcing a 3rd tally for the presidency successful 2024.House Republicans, if they negociate to propulsion retired a victory, person pledged to effort to rotation backmost Biden victories connected battling clime alteration and privation to marque imperishable a bid of 2017 taxation cuts that volition expire. They besides person planned investigations into Biden medication activities and probes of the president's son, who has had concern dealings with Ukraine and China.

Reporting by Tim Reid and Richard Cowan; Editing by Daniel Wallis

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