REPUBLICANS CLINCH SENATE, LAWLER WINS

New York Republicans successfully defended a pair of congressional swing districts even as Democrats appeared to take back at least two House seats that the GOP flipped in 2022, preliminary Election Day results show.  But the Democrats’ claimed wins in the Empire State likely won’t matter as Republicans clinched control of the US Senate, vied for reclaiming the House of Representatives and held a narrow lead in the race for the presidency early Wednesday.

Perhaps the highest-profile GOP victory came as Republican Rep. Mike Lawler declared late Tuesday that he gave former Congress member Mondaire Jones an “ass kicking” in a closely matchup. Lawler strode out to cheers and the sound of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” late Tuesday as early results showed him ahead 55% to Jones’ 43%, according to Associated Press results from the lower Hudson Valley race. MORE at GOP defends 2 seats in NY swing districts as Dems poised to flip 3 other battlegrounds

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Republicans Secure Senate Majority Heading Into 2025