U.S. Senate control still a toss-up, Republicans inch toward House majority - Reuters

PHOENIX, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Arizona and Nevada predetermination workers were toiling connected Friday to tally hundreds of thousands of uncounted ballots that could find power of the U.S. Senate, a process officials successful the 2 battleground states pass could resistance connected for days.

Either Democrats oregon Republicans tin seizure a Senate bulk by sweeping contests successful some states aft Tuesday's midterm vote. A divided would alteration a Dec. 6 runoff Senate predetermination successful Georgia into a proxy battle for the chamber, which holds sway implicit President Joe Biden's judicial appointments.

In the combat for the House of Representatives, Republicans were inching person to wresting power of the enclosure from Biden's Democrats. House power would springiness Republicans veto powerfulness implicit Biden's legislative docket and let them to motorboat perchance damaging investigations into his administration.

Republicans had secured astatine slightest 211 of the 218 House seats they request for a majority, Edison Research projected precocious connected Thursday, portion Democrats had won 197. That near 27 races yet to beryllium determined, including respective adjacent contests.

The Republican House leader, Kevin McCarthy, has already announced his volition to tally for talker if Republicans instrumentality over, an result helium has described arsenic inevitable.

Biden told reporters connected Thursday helium and McCarthy had spoken but said helium had not abandoned anticipation that Democrats could prevail successful the House, contempt the pugnacious odds.

"It's inactive alive," helium said of their chances.

Democrats staved disconnected an anticipated "red wave" of gains by Republicans, who had criticized Biden implicit soaring ostentation and rising transgression rates. Biden's word since taking bureau successful 2021 has been marked by the economical scars of the COVID-19 pandemic aft a tumultuous 4 years nether erstwhile president Donald Trump.

Biden portrayed the ballot arsenic a combat to prevention ideology aft Republican nominees promoted Trump's mendacious assertion that the 2020 election, which Biden won, was fraudulent. His Democrats labelled Republicans arsenic extremists, pointing to the Supreme Court's determination to destruct a nationwide close to abortion.

(Live predetermination results from astir the state are here)

UNCOUNTED BALLOTS

Officials overseeing ballot counting successful the Arizona and Nevada Senate races, wherever Democratic incumbents were trying to fend disconnected Republican challengers, person said it could instrumentality until adjacent week to tally uncounted mail-in ballots.

A elder elections authoritative successful Arizona's astir populous region said connected Thursday that workers determination had a backlog of implicit 400,000 uncounted ballots.

"We volition beryllium moving Friday and Saturday and Sunday, and determination done these ballots. The unit present are moving 14 to 18 hours a day. We are doing what we can," Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Bill Gates told reporters.

Some of Trump's astir high-profile endorsed candidates lost pivotal races connected Tuesday, marring his presumption arsenic Republican kingmaker and starring respective Republicans to blasted his divisive marque for the party's disappointing performance.

The result whitethorn summation the chances that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who routed his Democratic challenger connected Tuesday, opts to situation Trump for the 2024 statesmanlike nomination.

While Trump has not officially launched a 3rd White House campaign, the erstwhile president has powerfully suggested helium volition bash truthful and is readying a "special announcement" astatine his Florida nine connected Tuesday.

Trump lambasted DeSantis successful a connection connected Thursday, taking recognition for the governor's governmental rise, portion attacking critics connected his societal media site, Truth Social.

Even a constrictive Republican House bulk would beryllium capable to request concessions successful speech for votes connected cardinal contented specified arsenic raising the nation's borrowing limit.

But with fewer votes to spare, McCarthy mightiness conflict to clasp his caucus unneurotic - peculiarly the hard-right faction that is mostly aligned with Trump and has small involvement successful compromise.

Reporting by Tim Reid successful Phoenix and Joseph Ax successful Washington; Writing by Rami Ayyub and Joseph Ax; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa and Angus MacSwan

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