The U.S. Senate will stay in Democratic control in the 118th session of Congress, beginning Jan. 3, 2023. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s win in Nevada gives Democrats the 50 votes they need to stay in power. That gives this experiment in democracy at least a few more years. The work has to start anew when they return next week to finish out the current session.
It also means that Sen. Raphael Warnock’s path back to the Senate in his run-off race on December 6 might be just a tiny bit smoother. When control of the Senate isn’t at issue, are Republicans in Georgia really going to be all that enthused to give their vote to a very bad candidate?
But let’s just make sure of that. Let’s do everything in our power to send Warnock back for a full six-year term. Here’s all the ways you can help get out the vote in Georgia, many from the comfort of your own living room.
The time to act is very brief. Georgia Republicans shortened the runoff period after Democrats' huge upsets last year because they thought a briefer second round would benefit them. Let's prove them wrong. Let’s give the Democrats just one more seat.
Please donate $10—or $20, or even $100 if you're able—to help Raphael Warnock win a full six-year term!
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is giving a press conference now, talking about the accomplishments of this Senate with President Biden thus far, and what they’ll do. “Because Americans turned out to return Democrats to the Senate, there’s a firewall against a national abortion ban.”
Schumer celebrates the American people for rejecting the “nasty, poisonous rhetoric” of MAGA Republicans that GOP leadership did not condemn.
He congratulates all the Democrats who won, and welcomes John Fetterman (PA) and Peter Welch (VT), and says he’s confident Warnock will be returned. Gives a nice shout out to Harry Reid, who’s lasting legacy in Nevada definitely helped Catherine Cortez Masto win again.
Holy crap, what an amazing night! Where do we even begin this week's episode of The Downballot? Well, we know exactly where: abortion. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard recap Tuesday's extraordinary results, starting with a clear-eyed examination of the issue that animated Democrats as never before—and that pundits got so badly wrong. They also discuss candidate quality (still really important!), Democratic meddling in GOP primaries (good for democracy, actually), and "soft" Biden disapprovers (lots of them voted for Democrats).