Republicans close in on U.S. House majority, Senate still up for grabs - Reuters

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Republicans were edging person to securing a bulk successful the U.S. House of Representatives aboriginal connected Thursday, portion power of the Senate hung successful the balance, 2 days aft Democrats staved disconnected a Republican "red wave" successful midterm elections.

Republicans had captured astatine slightest 210 House seats, Edison Research projected, 8 abbreviated of the 218 needed to wrest the House distant from Democrats and efficaciously halt President Joe Biden's legislative agenda.

While Republicans stay favored, determination were 33 House contests yet to beryllium decided - including 21 of the 53 astir competitory races, based connected a Reuters investigation of the starring nonpartisan forecasters - apt ensuring the last result volition not beryllium determined for immoderate time.

(Live predetermination results from astir the state are here.)

The destiny of the Senate was acold little certain. Either enactment could prehend power by sweeping too-close-to-call races successful Nevada and Arizona, wherever officials are methodically tallying thousands of uncounted ballots.

A divided would mean the Senate bulk would travel down to a runoff predetermination successful Georgia for the 2nd clip successful 2 years. Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker some failed to scope 50% connected Tuesday, forcing them into a one-on-one conflict connected Dec. 6.

Even a slim House bulk would let Republicans to signifier the remainder of Biden's term, blocking priorities specified arsenic termination rights and launching investigations into his medication and family.

Biden acknowledged that world connected Wednesday, saying helium was prepared to enactment with Republicans. A White House authoritative said Biden spoke by telephone with Republican House person Kevin McCarthy, who announced earlier successful the time his volition to tally for talker of the House if Republicans power the chamber.

"The American radical person made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans to beryllium prepared to enactment with maine arsenic well," Biden said astatine a White House quality conference.

If McCarthy is the adjacent House speaker, helium whitethorn find it challenging to clasp unneurotic his fractious caucus, with a hard-right helping that has small involvement successful compromise.

Republicans are expected to request spending cuts successful speech for raising the nation's borrowing bounds adjacent year, a showdown that could spook fiscal markets.

Control of the Senate, meanwhile, would springiness Republicans the powerfulness to artifact Biden's nominees for judicial and administrative posts.

MIXED RESULTS

The enactment successful powerfulness historically suffers dense casualties successful a president's archetypal midterm election, and Biden has struggled with debased support ratings. But Democrats were capable to debar the sweeping decision that Republicans had anticipated.

Tuesday's results suggested voters were punishing Biden for the steepest ostentation successful 40 years, portion besides lashing retired against Republican efforts to prohibition termination and formed uncertainty connected the nation's vote-counting process.

Biden had framed the predetermination arsenic a trial of U.S. ideology astatine a clip erstwhile hundreds of Republican candidates embraced Trump's mendacious claims that the 2020 statesmanlike predetermination was stolen.

A fig of predetermination deniers won connected Tuesday, but galore who sought positions to oversee elections astatine the authorities level were defeated.

"It was a bully day, I think, for democracy," Biden said.

Trump, who took an progressive relation successful recruiting Republican candidates, had mixed results.

He notched a triumph successful Ohio, wherever "Hillbilly Elegy" writer J.D. Vance won a Senate spot to support it successful Republican hands. But respective different Trump-backed candidates suffered defeats, specified arsenic retired personage surgeon Mehmet Oz, who mislaid a important Senate contention successful Pennsylvania to Democrat John Fetterman.

Meanwhile, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who could situation Trump successful 2024, won re-election by astir 20 percent points, adding to his increasing nationalist profile.

Reporting by Joseph Ax, Andy Sullivan, Makini Brice, Susan Heavey, Richard Cowan, Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Doina Chiacu successful Washington, Gabriella Borter successful Birmingham, Michigan, Nathan Layne successful Alpharetta, Georgia, Tim Reid successful Phoenix and Ned Parker successful Reno, Nevada; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by Tom Hogue

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