WASHINGTON – Both chambers of the US Congress are projected to remain under Republican control when they convene on January 3, with voters dashing Democrats’ hopes of taking over the Senate while keeping the House of Representatives in Republican hands.

A few Senate races are still undecided, but projections by major media organisations indicate that Democrats no longer had a probable path toward capturing control of the 100-seat Senate.

So far, Democrats have succeeded in gaining only one seat from Republicans, in Illinois, where US Representative Tammy Duckworth defeated Senator Mark Kirk. Democrats need to pick up a net five seats to take Senate control.

Republicans campaigned on an agenda that shunned comprehensive immigration reform and opposed the national healthcare program known as Obamacare, gun control and expanded environmental and financial regulations.

The Republican Congress could be dealing in January with a Republican president. Donald Trump is edging closer to winning the White House over Democrat Hillary Clinton with a series of shocking wins today in key states such as Florida and Ohio.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is expected to remain at his post for at least the next two years.

On the House side, Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, could face a divided party and a contentious battle in his re-election bid in January for the leadership job.

– Reuters