GOP sweeps back into control of Senate

The Republican Party swept back into control of the Senate and padded its majority in the House on an Election Day that was both unprecedented and historic.

Although final results had not been reported for some races as of Wednesday morning, Republicans gained control in the 108th Congress by winning Democratic-held Senate seats in Missouri, Georgia and Minnesota and successfully defending all but one GOP-held seat. Republicans will have at least 51 seats next year. One race-in South Dakota-remained too close to call on Wednesday morning.

Republicans also could pick up a seat in Louisiana, where they forced Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu into a Dec. 7 runoff by preventing her from getting 50 percent of the vote.

In the House, Republicans registered a net gain of at least three seats, giving them a minimum of 226 seats. While Republicans were expected to keep control of the House, gaining Senate control was a surprise. It marks the first time in history that either party has captured control of the Senate in a mid-term election with a president of its own party in the White House.

"We'll never forget this night, will we?" an exuberant Sen.-elect Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., called out to cheering supporters after claiming victory in her race for that state's open Senate seat.

Dole's win was one of several components to the GOP's dramatic and unlikely return to power a year and a half after Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont defected from the Republican Party and handed control of the Senate to Democrats. Even though Republicans were forced to defend 20 of the 34 Senate seats in play this year, the party won the Senate by prevailing in nine of the 12 closest races.

The GOP held onto all but one of their vulnerable seats-and earned three hard-fought victories in Democratic territory. Sen. Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas was the only GOP incumbent who lost Tuesday, falling 54-46 percent to Democrat Mark Pryor, the state's attorney general and son of former Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark.

Meanwhile, appointed Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri lost, 50-49 percent, to former GOP Rep. Jim Talent; Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., was upset, 53-46 percent, by GOP Rep. Saxby Chambliss; and Minnesota GOP nominee Norm Coleman, a former St. Paul mayor, early today was projected to be the winner over former Vice President Mondale, who had replaced the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on the Democratic ballot line.

At the same time, Republicans held onto all of their seats aside from Arkansas: Sen. Wayne Allard defeated Democrat Tom Strickland, 51-45 percent, in Colorado; Rep. John Sununu, R-N.H., beat Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, 51-47 percent; and Texas Attorney General John Cornyn routed former Democratic Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, 55-43 percent; Rep. Lindsey Graham rolled over Democrat Alex Sanders, 54-44 percent, in South Carolina and Dole defeated former White House Chief of Staff Bowles 54-45 percent.

One bright spot for Democrats: former Sen. Frank Lautenberg defeated GOP businessman Douglas Forrester 54-44 percent in November in the race abandoned by Democratic Sen. Robert Torricelli.