What a GOP congressional majority could mean for a Trump presidency
Republicans are projected to have won control of the U.S. Senate after flipping several Democratic seats, and as the battle for the White House and the House of Representatives rages on, the GOP appears to be in a position to take control of not only Congress but also the presidency -- potentially putting former President Donald Trump on a glide path for policy approvals and Cabinet appointees should he win.
With Senate control flipping from Democrats to Republicans, it could help boost the agenda of a possible Trump White House -- or block the priorities of a Kamala Harris presidency. Some of those priorities could be Cabinet appointees or potential Supreme Court justice confirmations. Federal judge confirmations could be either hampered or cleared depending on control, too.
All 425 House seats are up for election -- and all eyes are on the key races that could potentially determine which party has control. Republicans currently control the lower chamber, but maintain a slim majority.
Should the Senate, House and White House all go for the GOP, it will be the second time Trump has enjoyed such unity. Trump began his presidency in 2017 with a GOP-controlled House and Senate. Both former presidents Barack Obama in 2009 and Bill Clinton in 1993 also began their White House stints with Democratic control in both the House and Senate.
Still, in the Trump, Obama and Clinton presidencies, at least one of the chambers flipped in the next election.
While it may seem rare to have single-party control of the executive and legislative branches, it's not all that uncommon at the beginning of a president's first term, according to an analysis by Pew Research Center. It has been the case for 16 of 21 presidents dating back to Theodore Roosevelt -- though a few exceptions exist: Republicans George W. and George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon, Pew Research Center found in its analysis of data going back to the 56th Congress from 1899-1901.
While control of the House and the White House still up for grabs, it's the first time in four years that the Senate has had control of the upper chamber -- something Republican senators are celebrating.
"As I've said, this election is not about us but rather what is best for the conference and the nation. I look forward to working with President Trump and our new conservative majority to make America great again by making the Senate work again," Texas Sen. John Cornyn said in a statement.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso said Senate Republicans are "focused on getting this country back on track."
"Voters are trusting Senate Republicans with an extraordinary opportunity," Barrasso said in a statement. "As a new Republican Senate majority, our focus will be to take on an agenda that reflects America's priorities – lower prices, less spending, secure borders, and American energy dominance. That is what we will set out to do on Day One. Our new Republican Senators will be instrumental in the success of this agenda."
