Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- This election there are 34 senate seats up for grabs and every one of the 435 seats in the house.

Late Tuesday, Republicans gained control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in four years, flipping democratic-held seats, retaining their own incumbents, and ultimately securing the majority.

The GOP now has 51 seats, the Democrats are at 42 seats. 51 is the majority.

The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Senator Deb Fischer came out on top in a surprisingly strong challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn.

Early in the night, Republicans flipped one seat in West Virginia, with the election of Jim Justice, who easily replaced retiring Senator Joe Manchin.

Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio lost his reelection to Republican Bernie Moreno, a wealthy Trump-era newcomer.

Now turning to the U.S. House, Republicans are also in the lead with 194 seats to the Democrats' 176, putting them just short of the 218 needed for majority control.

With control of congress at stake, the outcome will decide which party holds the majority and the power to boost or block a president's agenda, or if the White House confronts a divided Capitol Hill.

The focus now turns to the Democratic "blue wall" states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, where Democrats are fighting to protect seats in what's left of their slim hold on the Senate.