AUSTIN, Texas — Democrats pulled off a spectacular drubbing of Republicans to reclaim power in the Senate Tuesday night, even without every race up for grabs across the map being decided.
Democrats’ reclaiming of the upper chamber means that Republicans’ near two-year control of the federal government since President Donald Trump’s meteoric return to power will come to an end in January when the 120th Congress gavels into session.
And they did so by carving a blue gash deep into Trump country, toppling several candidates that the president handpicked in many races that, until the waning weeks of the midterm election cycle, appeared out of reach for Democrats.
The wave started in Georgia, where Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., easily beat Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and continued rolling through North Carolina, South Carolina, Kansas, Iowa and Texas, where Senator-elect Rep. James Talarico, currently a state senator, handed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton a historic and decisive defeat in the Lone Star State.
SENATE CONTROL IS A COIN FLIP — AND DEMOCRATS’ PATH RUNS THROUGH TRUMP COUNTRY
“We just took back Texas,” Talarico told a roaring crowd of supporters Tuesday night.
As Tuesday rolled into Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had clinched five pickups already, eviscerating Republicans’ thin, 53-seat majority in the upper chamber.
The wave could still continue into Tuesday and roil through the GOP, with major races still outstanding that could swing Democrats’ way before the midterms are through.
Contests in Michigan, Minnesota and Alaska were still outstanding, but even if Democrats lose those races, they’ll still claim power in the Senate.
VETERAN DEM OPERATIVE SAYS SUBPAR GOP CANDIDATES POISED TO HAND OVER SENATE MAJORITY
And coupled with a majority in the House, that means that Trump’s agenda in Congress will likely grind to a complete halt.
Blame among Republicans was already flying as the dust continued to settle election night, with Trump, the quality of candidates running in tight races, and the top Republican running the Senate’s campaign arm, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., coming under an immediate and harsh microscope.
VETERAN DEM OPERATIVE SAYS SUBPAR GOP CANDIDATES POISED TO HAND OVER SENATE MAJORITY
“When the NRSC Chairman loses his home state of SOUTH CAROLINA…,” a GOP operative told Fox News Digital.
Whether Schumer will be the one to lead Senate Democrats, however, remains in the air.
Many of the candidates that scored a ticket to Washington, D.C., have remained noncommittal, or outright refused, to support him, arguing that the Senate Democratic caucus needed generational change in leadership.