#the biden administration fully deserves credit for this one and harris would continue policies like this if elected

[quantummindclassicalheart]

Adding a couple sources for folks who would like to read more!

Very good news for the world.

[patriotsnet]

Who Controls The Senate Republicans Or Democrats

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/who-controls-the-senate-republicans-or-democrats/

Who Controls The Senate Republicans Or Democrats

Th Congress 2015 And 2016

The 114th Congress was notable because Republicans won their largest majorities in the House and Senate in decades after voters used the midterm election in 2014 to express dissatisfaction with a Democratic president, Barack Obama. Democrats lost control of the Senate in the 2014 elections.

Said Obama after the results became clear:

“Obviously, Republicans had a good night. And they deserve credit for running good campaigns. Beyond that, I’ll leave it to all of you and the professional pundits to pick through yesterday’s results.”

White House: Democrat

House: Republicans held 246 seats, Democrats held 187 seats; there were two vacancies.

Senate: Republicans held 54 seats, Democrats held 44 seats; there were two independents, both of whom caucused with the Democrats.

Who Now Controls The Senate

Chuck Schumer became majority leader following the swearing in of Democratic Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California by Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021.

Warnock, 51, and Ossoff, 33, had won special elections earlier in the month that determined control of the Senate. 

Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader: We have a lengthy agenda, and we need to get it done together.

“This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate.”

The ceremony officially cemented a shift in power in the chamber in the wake of the US election.

There is now a 50-50 split in the Senate which means the new Vice President will be able to break any possible ties as she will have the casting vote.

The Vice President also serves as president of the Senate. 

What Is A Senate Runoff

The candidates in Georgia were forced into the January runoff contests after no candidate reached the 50 per cent threshold needed to win outright in multi-candidate races.

States require runoff elections when no candidate receives a majority of the vote.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said that the runoff system was intended “to encourage candidates to broaden their appeal to a wider range of voters, to reduce the likelihood of electing candidates who are at the ideological extremes of a party, and to produce a nominee who may be more electable in the general election.”

What Are Senate Runoff Elections And Why Do They Happen

Senate runoff elections do not happen in every state, and only 12 states abide by the runoff election system.

A runoff election happens when more than two candidates run for an office seat, and the electorates votes do not give one candidate a 50% majority. The two candidates that received the most votes in that election hold another election , where the electorate votes again to give one of those two a majority and decide a winner.

Georgia Election: Democrats On Course For Senate Control

US election 2020

The Democratic Party of US President-elect Joe Biden is on the verge of taking control of the Senate as results come in from two elections in Georgia.

Pastor Raphael Warnock is projected to win one seat. Fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff leads narrowly in the other.

If they both win, Mr Biden will control Congress fully and have a much better chance of pushing through his agenda.

He said it was “time to turn the page. The American people demand action and they want unity”.

Th United States Congress

United States Congress

116th United States Congress January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 Members 1st: January 3, 2019 January 3, 20202nd: January 3, 2020  January 3, 2021

The 116th United States Congress was the meeting of the 116th legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the and the House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021, during the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. Senators elected to regular terms in 2014 finished their terms in this Congress, and House seats were based on the 2010 Census.

In the November 2018 midterm elections, the Democratic Party a new majority in the House, while the Republican Party its majority in the Senate. Consequently, this was the first split Congress since the 113th Congress of 20132015, and the first Republican SenateDemocratic House split since the 99th Congress of 19851987. This Congress was the youngest incoming class by mean age in the past three cycles and the most demographically diverse ever.

As of 2021, the 116th United States Congress is the most recent Congress in which:

Republicans controlled either branch of the congress ,

Poll Shows Manchin Wildly Out Of Step With West Virginia Voters On Voting Rights Bill

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

roguenuke said:I think this is the most likely answer just in terms of the Senate races .The GOP seats are more likely to be in danger here than the Dem seats that are up but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t risk, especially being so close.

A summer-long advocacy campaign to rally voters to support the For the People Act, a federal election bill.You can get involved by calling yourSenators at 888-453-3211 / and Zipcodeor any Senator??? Just get their Home Zipcode

Congressional Balance Of Power Odds

Note: The following odds are currently off the boards, but this is how they looked on Election Day 2020.

US Senate Control *

Republicans  +100

House And Senate Balance Of Power *

Democratic House, Democratic Senate +125

Democratic House, Republican Senate +175

Republican House, Republican Senate +500

Republican House, Democratic Senate +6600

*Odds from Nov. 1, 2020.

Which Party Holds The Advantage In The 2022 Senate Elections

The 2022 Senate elections are expected to be hotly contested once again as the Democrats try to build on their majority while the GOP attempts to once again regain control. Which party holds the advantage following the 2022 US Senate elections will factor heavily on the performance of President Joe Biden.

If his policies during his first two years gain traction and are viewed favorably by voters, then the DNC will have a solid shot at retaining, or adding to, their current majority. The odds produced by the top legal election betting sites will be revealed before too long, and quite often, they reflect a more accurate election result than pundit predictions.

New York State Senate

New York State Senate Senate Chamber at New York State Capitol, Albany Website

The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, the New York State Assembly being the lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. As of 2014, there are 63 seats in the Senate. The New York State Senate is the highest-paid state upper house and state senate in the country.

Who Controls The Senate 2021

THE Democrats are now officially in charge of the Senate – but only by the narrowest of margins.

That means President Joe Biden has inherited a -controlled House of Representatives and Senate.

* Read our Donald Trump impeachment live blog for the very latest news and updates on the former president…

If You Have A News Tip Wed Like To Hear From You Reach Out To Us Via One Of Ourtip Line Channels

Still, Democrats will have one chance per year to bypass Republicans altogether and try to pass major legislation. Each year the Senate can pass a budget reconciliation bill, which is exempt from the filibuster and only needs a majority to pass. In theory, these bills need to pertain to the federal budget, but that can be interpreted widely. Republicans tried to use a budget reconciliation bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, only to fail to gain 50 Republican votes.

The Georgia results give Bidens ability to tackle the climate crisis, one of his priorities, a big boost. The new Senate opens the door to raising spending, whether it relates to the federal budget or the next coronavirus aid package, on climate, resiliency, and environmental justice efforts. Theres also now a greater chance that Congress confirms Bidens environmental appointees.

But the incoming administration still faces an uphill battle in passing any new, bold climate laws, the kind needed to meet Bidens goal of dramatically cutting climate pollution from the transportation, buildings, and energy sectors in the coming decades.

Tied Senate: Who Controls A 50

The results of the 2020 election continue to be finalized, but one possible outcome is an evenly divided Senate sometime after January 5, 2021. This raises questions regarding which party will hold the majority and who the majority leader will be, as well as whether we should anticipate a completely deadlocked Senate on every vote, among others. Here are seven things you need to know

Statement from Bipartisan Policy Center President Jason Grumet: BPCs Bipartisan Approach to a Partisan Process

Weve Had A Split Senate Before And They Mostly Figured It Out

The most recent 50-50 Senate occurred following the 2000 election. Sens. Tom Daschle and Trent Lott , then Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate respectively, formed a powersharing agreement to guide the chamber. Key features of the agreement included:

Majority Leader: Lott was recognized as the de factor majority leader following Inauguration Day, based on the tie-breaking vote of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

Committees would have equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats;

If a tie vote prevented a measure or nomination from being reported to the full Senate, the majority or minority leader could move to discharge the committee from further consideration; Debate on the question of discharge was limited, and therefore, a filibuster could not block it.

Debate: Cloture motions, which are used to bring debate on a measure or nomination to a close and prevent filibusters, could not be filed on any amendable item of business during the first 12 hours of debate.

Scheduling and agenda: the leaders were to attempt to balance the interests of the parties in setting the Senates schedule and deciding what matters to bring up for consideration.

An important caveat in the agreement noted that Senate Rules do not prohibit the right of the Democratic Leader, or any other Senator, to move to proceed to any item.

Tie Votes In The Senate Are Broken By The Vice President

A Senate split evenly between Democrats and Republicans raises the potential for tie votes. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states that, The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The vice president may decline to vote on a tied matter. In recent history, the vice presidents presence in the Senate is a rare occurrence, but in an evenly divided Senate, he or she may need to break tie votes more often if the parties cannot agree. Senator Harris, the vice president elect, may not be getting far away from Capitol Hill after all.

Democrats Control House And Senate For First Time Since 2011 As Schumer Ousts Mcconnell

Mitch McConnellChuck SchumerKamala Harris

On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York took on the role of Majority Leader, taking the title away from Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as regained control of both congressional chambers for the first time since 2011.

Control of the Senate shifted over to a 50-50 party split on Wednesday as Democratic Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were both sworn in as the 49th and 50th Democratic senators, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the deciding vote should the chambers’ votes ever end in a tie.

Also sworn in on Wednesday was Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California. Padilla was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the vacated seat of Vice President Kamala Harris, who had previously served as a Californian senator. On Wednesday, Harris swore in Padilla, Ossoff and Warnock.

At the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention, Schumer said that Democrats would work with Biden to help him achieve his ambitious agenda.

“We will make health care affordable for all, we’ll undo the vicious inequality of income and wealth that has plagued America for far too long, and we’ll take strong, decisive action to combat climate change and save the planet,” Schumer said.

Lindsey Graham Thinks Donald Trump Will Remain Strongest Republican Voice

Newsweek contacted Schumer’s office for comment.

The Winding Road To Democratic Control

Following an anxious four days of waiting after the 2020 general election, nearly all major news networks declared that Joe Biden had exceeded 270 electoral votes and won the presidency. Democrats also retained control of the U.S. House, although their majority has been trimmed back .

But the U.S. Senate still hung in the balance, a tantalizing prize for Democrats dreaming of a trifecta, and a bulwark against a Democratic agenda for Republicans who seek to hold onto some power under the new Biden administration that will be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.

Republicans claimed 50 Senate seats after the November election, two more than the 48 seats claimed by the Democratic Caucus at that time.

The Senates balance of power teetered on the fulcrum of Georgias two seats, both of which were decided by the January 5th runoff election. Georgia law requires candidates to be voted in with at least 50% of the votes cast; if a candidate does not reach that threshold the two candidates who received the highest number of votes face one another in a runoff election.

Georgias runoff election featured these match-ups:

Incumbent David Perdue versus Jon Ossoff .According to Georgias Secretary of State, received 88,000 more votes than , but came up just shy of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. This is in part due to the 115,000 votes that went to Libertarian candidate Shane Hazel who will not appear on the January ballot.

Republican Memo Warns Us Senate At Risk Of Falling Into Democratic Control

Memo summarizes senate races of 10 states and how the outcome of each could determine who controls the Senate

A memo by Senate Republicans campaign arm has admitted that control of the upper chamber is at risk and that Democrats could win the Senate in Novembers elections.

The September 2020 political update from the National Republican Senatorial Committee summarizes the state of the race of 10 states with Senate races around the country and how the outcome of each could factor into whether Republicans or control the chamber in January.

The memo, obtained by the Guardian, has been circulating among political operatives, donors and interested parties. It comes just shy of 50 days before the November 2020 elections.

The next few weeks will define the future of our country for generations to come, the NRSC memo reads.

Memos like these are often shaped like dispassionate updates but in actuality they are often used to convince interested parties that races slipping out of reach are still in play. They are also often used to juice donations to lagging candidates and counter trending narratives.

Democrats need to pick up three or four seats to take control of the Senate. The fact that the NRSC memo categorizes seven Senate races as ones that simply cant be lost or deserve serious attention suggests that its possible, but not certain that Democrats can take control of the Senate.

Who Will Control The Senate In 2022; Democrats Or Republicans

$1.9 trillion Covid relief legislationOn infrastructureinfrastructure RepublicansOn voting rightsFor the People ActRepublicans even filibusteredindependent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

After President Biden signed his $1.9 trillion Covid relief legislation into law back in March, political observers were calling him a transformational president.Since then, however, there hasnt been a lot of transformation in Washington at least when it comes to Bidens legislative agenda.On infrastructure, Senate Democrats dont have 50 votes to go it alone, given Sen. Joe Manchins desire for a bipartisan deal. And there still isnt an obvious path forward to cut a bipartisan infrastructure deal with Republicans.On voting rights, Manchin said hell the For the People Act that the Senate will take up later this month.And last month, Senate Republicans even filibustereda bill to create an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

UnTrueManchin is opposing his own voters.This is an understatement. THEY LOVE HR-1But on HR1, they support it far more.

Us Election 2020: Democrats��� Hopes Of Gaining Control Of Senate Fade

Democrats are rapidly losing hope of gaining control of the US Senate after underperforming in key states.

Controlling the Senate would have allowed them to either obstruct or push through the next president’s agenda.

The party had high hopes of gaining the four necessary seats in Congress’s upper chamber, but many Republican incumbents held their seats.

The Democrats are projected to retain their majority in the lower chamber, the House, but with some key losses.

With many votes still to be counted, the final outcome for both houses may not be known for some time.

Why don’t we have a winner yet?

Among the disappointments for the Democrats was the fight for the seat in Maine, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins staved off a fierce challenge from Democrat Sara Gideon.

However, the night did see a number of firsts – including the first black openly LGBTQ people ever elected to Congress and the first openly transgender state senator.

The balance of power in the Senate may also change next January. At least one run-off election is due to be held that month in Georgia, since neither candidate has been able to secure more than 50% of votes.

This year’s congressional election is running alongside the battle for the White House between Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

Of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs, 23 were Republican-held and 12 were Democrat.

Senators serve six-year terms, and every two years a third of the seats are up for re-election.

What Democrats Want To Do

Democrats widely agree a new Covid-19 relief and response package should be their first priority. A new bill would likely be modeled on the House-passed HEROES Act, which included $75 million for testing and contact tracing, strike teams to tackle challenges around long-term care and prisons, and funding to help cash-strapped state and local governments.

Next, Democrats say they want to deal with the stagnating economy. Biden has released a $2 trillion green jobs plan, aiming to create millions of jobs through green infrastructure, retrofitting houses, and manufacturing electric cars, among other things. There are a number of ways Bidens White House can work on achieving these goals, but he needs Congress to fully realize it.

In addition to fighting and containing the coronavirus, we will work aggressively to create jobs and improve the unemployment crisis caused by President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Vox in a statement earlier this fall.

Biden shares the broad goal of getting the United States to net-zero emissions by 2050, but hes also set more aggressive targets, like getting to 100 percent clean electricity in the US by 2035. House Democrats also passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill in July, which could be merged with Bidens climate plan.

Democrats will likely push for a climate component in any future infrastructure package, but Republicans may balk at that idea and push for a more targeted bill.

Diversity Of The Freshman Class

The demographics of the 116th U.S. Congress freshmen were more diverse than any previous incoming class.

At least 25 new congressional representatives were Hispanic, Native American, or people of color, and the incoming class included the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, and the two youngest women ever elected. The 116th Congress included more women elected to the House than any previous Congress.

Democrat Jon Ossoff Claims Victory Over David Perdue In Georgia Runoff

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is expected to replace GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell as majority leader and will determine which bills come to the floor for votes.

The ambitious proposals addressing climate change and health care and other domestic priorities touted by Biden and Harris will be difficult, if impossible, to advance with more moderate Democrats especially those facing competitive 2022 midterm reelection campaigns reluctant to sign onto partisan proposals. The much House Democratic majority compounds the challenge for the party.

Instead, Biden will need to consider which domestic priorities can get bipartisan support since Senate rules now require anything to get 60 votes to advance. The president-elect has already indicated that additional coronavirus relief will be his first priority, but he has also said he plans to unveil an infrastructure plan that could get support from Republicans.

In a statement Wednesday, Biden said that “Georgia’s voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. On COVID-19, on economic relief, on climate, on racial justice, on voting rights and so much more. They want us to move, but move together.”

The president-elect also spoke to Democrats’ potential total control of Washington.

Why Is There An Election In Georgia

The election is being rerun because of Georgia’s rule that a candidate must take 50% of the vote in order to win.

None of the candidates in November’s general election met that threshold.

With 98% of votes counted, US TV networks and the Associated Press news agency called the first of the two races for Mr Warnock.

Control of the Senate in the first two years of Mr Biden’s term will be determined by the outcome of the second run-off.

Mr Warnock is set to become the first black senator for the state of Georgia – a slavery state in the US Civil War – and only the 11th black senator in US history.

He serves as the reverend of the Atlanta church where assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr grew up and preached.

Claiming victory, he paid tribute to his mother, Verlene, who as a teenager worked as a farm labourer.

“The other day – because this is America – the 82-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said.

If both Democrats win, the Senate will be evenly split 50-50, allowing incoming Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. The Democrats narrowly control the House of Representatives.

Mr Ossoff has also claimed victory in his race against Republican Senator David Perdue, but that race is even tighter. At 33, he would be the Senate’s youngest member for 40 years.

Mr Biden won at least seven million more votes than the president.

Th Congress 2001 And 2002

White House: Republican

House: Republicans held 221 seats, Democrats held 212 seats; there were two independents

Senate: Republicans held 50 seats, Democrats held 48 seats; there were two independents

*Notes: This session of the Senate began with the chamber evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. But on June 6, 2001, U.S. Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont switched from Republican to independent and began caucusing with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage. Later on Oct. 25, 2002, Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul D. Wellstone died and independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. On Nov. 5, 2002, Republican U.S. Sen. James Talent of Missouri replaced Democratic U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan, shifting the balance back to the Republicans.

[statetalks]

Who Controls The Senate Republicans Or Democrats

Th Congress 2015 And 2016

The 114th Congress was notable because Republicans won their largest majorities in the House and Senate in decades after voters used the midterm election in 2014 to express dissatisfaction with a Democratic president, Barack Obama. Democrats lost control of the Senate in the 2014 elections.

Said Obama after the results became clear:

“Obviously, Republicans had a good night. And they deserve credit for running good campaigns. Beyond that, I’ll leave it to all of you and the professional pundits to pick through yesterday’s results.”

White House: Democrat

House: Republicans held 246 seats, Democrats held 187 seats; there were two vacancies.

Senate: Republicans held 54 seats, Democrats held 44 seats; there were two independents, both of whom caucused with the Democrats.

Who Now Controls The Senate

Chuck Schumer became majority leader following the swearing in of Democratic Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California by Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021.

Warnock, 51, and Ossoff, 33, had won special elections earlier in the month that determined control of the Senate. 

Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader: We have a lengthy agenda, and we need to get it done together.

“This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate.”

The ceremony officially cemented a shift in power in the chamber in the wake of the US election.

There is now a 50-50 split in the Senate which means the new Vice President will be able to break any possible ties as she will have the casting vote.

The Vice President also serves as president of the Senate. 

What Is A Senate Runoff

The candidates in Georgia were forced into the January runoff contests after no candidate reached the 50 per cent threshold needed to win outright in multi-candidate races.

States require runoff elections when no candidate receives a majority of the vote.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said that the runoff system was intended “to encourage candidates to broaden their appeal to a wider range of voters, to reduce the likelihood of electing candidates who are at the ideological extremes of a party, and to produce a nominee who may be more electable in the general election.”

What Are Senate Runoff Elections And Why Do They Happen

Senate runoff elections do not happen in every state, and only 12 states abide by the runoff election system.

A runoff election happens when more than two candidates run for an office seat, and the electorates votes do not give one candidate a 50% majority. The two candidates that received the most votes in that election hold another election , where the electorate votes again to give one of those two a majority and decide a winner.

Georgia Election: Democrats On Course For Senate Control

US election 2020

The Democratic Party of US President-elect Joe Biden is on the verge of taking control of the Senate as results come in from two elections in Georgia.

Pastor Raphael Warnock is projected to win one seat. Fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff leads narrowly in the other.

If they both win, Mr Biden will control Congress fully and have a much better chance of pushing through his agenda.

He said it was “time to turn the page. The American people demand action and they want unity”.

Th United States Congress

United States Congress

116th United States Congress January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 Members 1st: January 3, 2019 January 3, 20202nd: January 3, 2020  January 3, 2021

The 116th United States Congress was the meeting of the 116th legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the and the House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021, during the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. Senators elected to regular terms in 2014 finished their terms in this Congress, and House seats were based on the 2010 Census.

In the November 2018 midterm elections, the Democratic Party a new majority in the House, while the Republican Party its majority in the Senate. Consequently, this was the first split Congress since the 113th Congress of 20132015, and the first Republican SenateDemocratic House split since the 99th Congress of 19851987. This Congress was the youngest incoming class by mean age in the past three cycles and the most demographically diverse ever.

As of 2021, the 116th United States Congress is the most recent Congress in which:

Republicans controlled either branch of the congress ,

Poll Shows Manchin Wildly Out Of Step With West Virginia Voters On Voting Rights Bill

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

roguenuke said:I think this is the most likely answer just in terms of the Senate races .The GOP seats are more likely to be in danger here than the Dem seats that are up but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t risk, especially being so close.

A summer-long advocacy campaign to rally voters to support the For the People Act, a federal election bill.You can get involved by calling yourSenators at 888-453-3211 / and Zipcodeor any Senator??? Just get their Home Zipcode

Congressional Balance Of Power Odds

Note: The following odds are currently off the boards, but this is how they looked on Election Day 2020.

US Senate Control *

Republicans  +100

House And Senate Balance Of Power *

Democratic House, Democratic Senate +125

Democratic House, Republican Senate +175

Republican House, Republican Senate +500

Republican House, Democratic Senate +6600

*Odds from Nov. 1, 2020.

Which Party Holds The Advantage In The 2022 Senate Elections

The 2022 Senate elections are expected to be hotly contested once again as the Democrats try to build on their majority while the GOP attempts to once again regain control. Which party holds the advantage following the 2022 US Senate elections will factor heavily on the performance of President Joe Biden.

If his policies during his first two years gain traction and are viewed favorably by voters, then the DNC will have a solid shot at retaining, or adding to, their current majority. The odds produced by the top legal election betting sites will be revealed before too long, and quite often, they reflect a more accurate election result than pundit predictions.

New York State Senate

New York State Senate Senate Chamber at New York State Capitol, Albany Website

The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, the New York State Assembly being the lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. As of 2014, there are 63 seats in the Senate. The New York State Senate is the highest-paid state upper house and state senate in the country.

Who Controls The Senate 2021

THE Democrats are now officially in charge of the Senate – but only by the narrowest of margins.

That means President Joe Biden has inherited a -controlled House of Representatives and Senate.

* Read our Donald Trump impeachment live blog for the very latest news and updates on the former president…

If You Have A News Tip Wed Like To Hear From You Reach Out To Us Via One Of Ourtip Line Channels

Still, Democrats will have one chance per year to bypass Republicans altogether and try to pass major legislation. Each year the Senate can pass a budget reconciliation bill, which is exempt from the filibuster and only needs a majority to pass. In theory, these bills need to pertain to the federal budget, but that can be interpreted widely. Republicans tried to use a budget reconciliation bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, only to fail to gain 50 Republican votes.

The Georgia results give Bidens ability to tackle the climate crisis, one of his priorities, a big boost. The new Senate opens the door to raising spending, whether it relates to the federal budget or the next coronavirus aid package, on climate, resiliency, and environmental justice efforts. Theres also now a greater chance that Congress confirms Bidens environmental appointees.

But the incoming administration still faces an uphill battle in passing any new, bold climate laws, the kind needed to meet Bidens goal of dramatically cutting climate pollution from the transportation, buildings, and energy sectors in the coming decades.

Tied Senate: Who Controls A 50

The results of the 2020 election continue to be finalized, but one possible outcome is an evenly divided Senate sometime after January 5, 2021. This raises questions regarding which party will hold the majority and who the majority leader will be, as well as whether we should anticipate a completely deadlocked Senate on every vote, among others. Here are seven things you need to know

Statement from Bipartisan Policy Center President Jason Grumet: BPCs Bipartisan Approach to a Partisan Process

Weve Had A Split Senate Before And They Mostly Figured It Out

The most recent 50-50 Senate occurred following the 2000 election. Sens. Tom Daschle and Trent Lott , then Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate respectively, formed a powersharing agreement to guide the chamber. Key features of the agreement included:

Majority Leader: Lott was recognized as the de factor majority leader following Inauguration Day, based on the tie-breaking vote of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

Committees would have equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats;

If a tie vote prevented a measure or nomination from being reported to the full Senate, the majority or minority leader could move to discharge the committee from further consideration; Debate on the question of discharge was limited, and therefore, a filibuster could not block it.

Debate: Cloture motions, which are used to bring debate on a measure or nomination to a close and prevent filibusters, could not be filed on any amendable item of business during the first 12 hours of debate. Scheduling and agenda: the leaders were to attempt to balance the interests of the parties in setting the Senates schedule and deciding what matters to bring up for consideration. An important caveat in the agreement noted that Senate Rules do not prohibit the right of the Democratic Leader, or any other Senator, to move to proceed to any item.

Tie Votes In The Senate Are Broken By The Vice President

A Senate split evenly between Democrats and Republicans raises the potential for tie votes. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states that, The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The vice president may decline to vote on a tied matter. In recent history, the vice presidents presence in the Senate is a rare occurrence, but in an evenly divided Senate, he or she may need to break tie votes more often if the parties cannot agree. Senator Harris, the vice president elect, may not be getting far away from Capitol Hill after all.

Democrats Control House And Senate For First Time Since 2011 As Schumer Ousts Mcconnell

Mitch McConnellChuck SchumerKamala Harris

On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York took on the role of Majority Leader, taking the title away from Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as regained control of both congressional chambers for the first time since 2011.

Control of the Senate shifted over to a 50-50 party split on Wednesday as Democratic Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were both sworn in as the 49th and 50th Democratic senators, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the deciding vote should the chambers’ votes ever end in a tie.

Also sworn in on Wednesday was Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California. Padilla was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the vacated seat of Vice President Kamala Harris, who had previously served as a Californian senator. On Wednesday, Harris swore in Padilla, Ossoff and Warnock.

At the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention, Schumer said that Democrats would work with Biden to help him achieve his ambitious agenda.

“We will make health care affordable for all, we’ll undo the vicious inequality of income and wealth that has plagued America for far too long, and we’ll take strong, decisive action to combat climate change and save the planet,” Schumer said.

Lindsey Graham Thinks Donald Trump Will Remain Strongest Republican Voice

Newsweek contacted Schumer’s office for comment.

The Winding Road To Democratic Control

Following an anxious four days of waiting after the 2020 general election, nearly all major news networks declared that Joe Biden had exceeded 270 electoral votes and won the presidency. Democrats also retained control of the U.S. House, although their majority has been trimmed back .

But the U.S. Senate still hung in the balance, a tantalizing prize for Democrats dreaming of a trifecta, and a bulwark against a Democratic agenda for Republicans who seek to hold onto some power under the new Biden administration that will be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.

Republicans claimed 50 Senate seats after the November election, two more than the 48 seats claimed by the Democratic Caucus at that time.

The Senates balance of power teetered on the fulcrum of Georgias two seats, both of which were decided by the January 5th runoff election. Georgia law requires candidates to be voted in with at least 50% of the votes cast; if a candidate does not reach that threshold the two candidates who received the highest number of votes face one another in a runoff election.

Georgias runoff election featured these match-ups:

Incumbent David Perdue versus Jon Ossoff .According to Georgias Secretary of State, received 88,000 more votes than , but came up just shy of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. This is in part due to the 115,000 votes that went to Libertarian candidate Shane Hazel who will not appear on the January ballot.

Republican Memo Warns Us Senate At Risk Of Falling Into Democratic Control

Memo summarizes senate races of 10 states and how the outcome of each could determine who controls the Senate

A memo by Senate Republicans campaign arm has admitted that control of the upper chamber is at risk and that Democrats could win the Senate in Novembers elections.

The September 2020 political update from the National Republican Senatorial Committee summarizes the state of the race of 10 states with Senate races around the country and how the outcome of each could factor into whether Republicans or control the chamber in January.

The memo, obtained by the Guardian, has been circulating among political operatives, donors and interested parties. It comes just shy of 50 days before the November 2020 elections.

The next few weeks will define the future of our country for generations to come, the NRSC memo reads.

Memos like these are often shaped like dispassionate updates but in actuality they are often used to convince interested parties that races slipping out of reach are still in play. They are also often used to juice donations to lagging candidates and counter trending narratives.

Democrats need to pick up three or four seats to take control of the Senate. The fact that the NRSC memo categorizes seven Senate races as ones that simply cant be lost or deserve serious attention suggests that its possible, but not certain that Democrats can take control of the Senate.

Who Will Control The Senate In 2022; Democrats Or Republicans

$1.9 trillion Covid relief legislationOn infrastructureinfrastructure RepublicansOn voting rightsFor the People ActRepublicans even filibusteredindependent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

After President Biden signed his $1.9 trillion Covid relief legislation into law back in March, political observers were calling him a transformational president.Since then, however, there hasnt been a lot of transformation in Washington at least when it comes to Bidens legislative agenda.On infrastructure, Senate Democrats dont have 50 votes to go it alone, given Sen. Joe Manchins desire for a bipartisan deal. And there still isnt an obvious path forward to cut a bipartisan infrastructure deal with Republicans.On voting rights, Manchin said hell the For the People Act that the Senate will take up later this month.And last month, Senate Republicans even filibustereda bill to create an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

UnTrueManchin is opposing his own voters.This is an understatement. THEY LOVE HR-1But on HR1, they support it far more.

Us Election 2020: Democrats’ Hopes Of Gaining Control Of Senate Fade

Democrats are rapidly losing hope of gaining control of the US Senate after underperforming in key states.

Controlling the Senate would have allowed them to either obstruct or push through the next president’s agenda.

The party had high hopes of gaining the four necessary seats in Congress’s upper chamber, but many Republican incumbents held their seats.

The Democrats are projected to retain their majority in the lower chamber, the House, but with some key losses.

With many votes still to be counted, the final outcome for both houses may not be known for some time.

Why don’t we have a winner yet?

Among the disappointments for the Democrats was the fight for the seat in Maine, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins staved off a fierce challenge from Democrat Sara Gideon.

However, the night did see a number of firsts – including the first black openly LGBTQ people ever elected to Congress and the first openly transgender state senator.

The balance of power in the Senate may also change next January. At least one run-off election is due to be held that month in Georgia, since neither candidate has been able to secure more than 50% of votes.

This year’s congressional election is running alongside the battle for the White House between Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

Of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs, 23 were Republican-held and 12 were Democrat.

Senators serve six-year terms, and every two years a third of the seats are up for re-election.

What Democrats Want To Do

Democrats widely agree a new Covid-19 relief and response package should be their first priority. A new bill would likely be modeled on the House-passed HEROES Act, which included $75 million for testing and contact tracing, strike teams to tackle challenges around long-term care and prisons, and funding to help cash-strapped state and local governments.

Next, Democrats say they want to deal with the stagnating economy. Biden has released a $2 trillion green jobs plan, aiming to create millions of jobs through green infrastructure, retrofitting houses, and manufacturing electric cars, among other things. There are a number of ways Bidens White House can work on achieving these goals, but he needs Congress to fully realize it.

In addition to fighting and containing the coronavirus, we will work aggressively to create jobs and improve the unemployment crisis caused by President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Vox in a statement earlier this fall.

Biden shares the broad goal of getting the United States to net-zero emissions by 2050, but hes also set more aggressive targets, like getting to 100 percent clean electricity in the US by 2035. House Democrats also passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill in July, which could be merged with Bidens climate plan.

Democrats will likely push for a climate component in any future infrastructure package, but Republicans may balk at that idea and push for a more targeted bill.

Diversity Of The Freshman Class

The demographics of the 116th U.S. Congress freshmen were more diverse than any previous incoming class.

At least 25 new congressional representatives were Hispanic, Native American, or people of color, and the incoming class included the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, and the two youngest women ever elected. The 116th Congress included more women elected to the House than any previous Congress.

Democrat Jon Ossoff Claims Victory Over David Perdue In Georgia Runoff

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is expected to replace GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell as majority leader and will determine which bills come to the floor for votes.

The ambitious proposals addressing climate change and health care and other domestic priorities touted by Biden and Harris will be difficult, if impossible, to advance with more moderate Democrats especially those facing competitive 2022 midterm reelection campaigns reluctant to sign onto partisan proposals. The much House Democratic majority compounds the challenge for the party.

Instead, Biden will need to consider which domestic priorities can get bipartisan support since Senate rules now require anything to get 60 votes to advance. The president-elect has already indicated that additional coronavirus relief will be his first priority, but he has also said he plans to unveil an infrastructure plan that could get support from Republicans.

In a statement Wednesday, Biden said that “Georgia’s voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. On COVID-19, on economic relief, on climate, on racial justice, on voting rights and so much more. They want us to move, but move together.”

The president-elect also spoke to Democrats’ potential total control of Washington.

Why Is There An Election In Georgia

The election is being rerun because of Georgia’s rule that a candidate must take 50% of the vote in order to win.

None of the candidates in November’s general election met that threshold.

With 98% of votes counted, US TV networks and the Associated Press news agency called the first of the two races for Mr Warnock.

Control of the Senate in the first two years of Mr Biden’s term will be determined by the outcome of the second run-off.

Mr Warnock is set to become the first black senator for the state of Georgia – a slavery state in the US Civil War – and only the 11th black senator in US history.

He serves as the reverend of the Atlanta church where assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr grew up and preached.

Claiming victory, he paid tribute to his mother, Verlene, who as a teenager worked as a farm labourer.

“The other day – because this is America – the 82-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said.

If both Democrats win, the Senate will be evenly split 50-50, allowing incoming Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. The Democrats narrowly control the House of Representatives.

Mr Ossoff has also claimed victory in his race against Republican Senator David Perdue, but that race is even tighter. At 33, he would be the Senate’s youngest member for 40 years.

Mr Biden won at least seven million more votes than the president.

Th Congress 2001 And 2002

White House: Republican

House: Republicans held 221 seats, Democrats held 212 seats; there were two independents

Senate: Republicans held 50 seats, Democrats held 48 seats; there were two independents

*Notes: This session of the Senate began with the chamber evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. But on June 6, 2001, U.S. Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont switched from Republican to independent and began caucusing with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage. Later on Oct. 25, 2002, Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul D. Wellstone died and independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. On Nov. 5, 2002, Republican U.S. Sen. James Talent of Missouri replaced Democratic U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan, shifting the balance back to the Republicans.

source https://www.patriotsnet.com/who-controls-the-senate-republicans-or-democrats/

[gordonwilliamsweb]

Evaluating President Joe Biden’s First 100 Days in Office

In the first 100 days, new presidents try to turn campaign promises into quick legislative victories, defuse lingering crises, set themselves apart from their predecessor and set a leadership tone for the next four years — all while avoiding blunders that could destroy their momentum.

This story ran in partnership with PolitiFact. It can be republished for free.

So how is President Joe Biden doing as he approaches this mark?

Not bad, experts say, given the scale of the crisis he’s tackling and the political opposition he faces in Congress.

“I think there are three accomplishments that stand out so far: the ramped-up coronavirus vaccine distribution, the passage of the American Rescue Plan and the return to the Paris Climate Agreement,” said John Frendreis, a political scientist at Loyola University in Chicago.

When Biden took office, the seven-day rolling average for vaccinations was 777,000 a day, but that number rose under Biden to about 3 million a day. As his 100th day approached, about half of the 16-and-older U.S. population had received at least one dose of vaccine. In addition, more than 80% of seniors had received at least one shot, and 25% of American adults were fully vaccinated.

The American Rescue Plan was a $1.9 trillion bill aimed at both providing additional funding for fighting the pandemic and helping the economy through the resulting recession. The measure included aid to state and local governments, increased unemployment insurance, support for vaccination efforts, education aid, refundable child tax credits and housing assistance.

“Few presidents have passed anything as consequential as the relief package” in their first 100 days, said John J. Pitney Jr., a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College.

Beyond these items, our partners at PolitiFact provide a detailed accounting of other actions taken by Biden during his early tenure.

Other moves have been more intangible, but no less significant, experts said. “One word sums it up: normality,” Pitney said. “We can now skip the news for a day or two without worrying that we’ve missed a scandal or a crazy presidential tweet. Biden has made mistakes, such as having to backtrack on refugee policy, but they are the kind of mistakes that presidents normally make early in their term.”

Here is a closer look at what the Biden administration has done, and how his overall performance compares with his predecessors. (Biden’s 100th day in office is Thursday, if you count his half-day in office on Jan. 20.)

The Coronavirus Pandemic and Health Care

Experts said it’s possible that the vaccine rollout would have ramped up no matter who was president, but they added that Biden deserves credit for taking certain steps. He pushed manufacturers to increase vaccine production, provided federal support for mass vaccination sites and ensured that a vaccine is accessible within 5 miles of almost every American.

“He’s done a really good job,” said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association for Immunization Managers. “The first thing he did when he came into office was set a tone and goals, and that was important to have a benchmark.”

Biden has also met two goals he’d set for his first 100 days in office — first, 100 million covid vaccine doses, then, after achieving that goal on the 58th day of his presidency, 200 million doses. On April 22, eight days before his 100th day, that goal was achieved, too.

“At the end of the day, the proof is in the results,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “More than half of the population having had at least one shot means they’ve been extraordinarily successful.”

Biden also notched a victory on health insurance. Part of the $1.9 trillion relief package was a provision that no one must spend more than 8.5% of what they earn on insurance premiums, which experts say is among the most significant changes to the affordability of private insurance since the ACA.

And he kept other promises that he made on the campaign trail, such as rejoining the World Health Organization and restoring the White House directorate for global health security. (PolitiFact is tracking 100 of his campaign promises on the Biden Promise Tracker.)

In addition, “restoring the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] to a place of prominence, having scientists speaking to the general public on a regular basis, this is all evidence that science is clearly a priority for the federal government and for the White House,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

Other promises on health have been more difficult to keep, such as mandating masks nationwide. While Biden did implement a mask mandate in areas where the federal government has authority, such as federal buildings, airplanes and other types of transportation, Republican governors in states such as Texas and Alabama have rolled back their mask mandates in recent months. We rated this promise as a Compromise.

The administration faces challenges in getting the remainder of the U.S. vaccinated. There are indications that the number of daily vaccinations is slowing, and some people tell pollsters that they are unwilling to get vaccinated at all.

“The challenges ahead include continuing to adjust the vaccination effort in order to get the next 20% of people vaccinated,” said Hannan. “And we’ll eventually need to get vaccinations to kids, too. We will just have to keep adjusting our efforts for different populations.”

Biden’s progress in containing the pandemic has also paid dividends for the economy, boosting consumer activity that had been restrained during the pandemic.

Key elements of the American Rescue Plan included unemployment assistance, a temporary expansion of the child tax credit, an increase in food stamp aid and aid to state and local governments for public health, housing and education. Those items “deal squarely and forthrightly with the economic calamities that have stuck working-class and poorer Americans as a result of the public health crisis,” said Gary Burtless, an economist at the Brookings Institution.

Critics have expressed concerns about the plan’s size and timing, saying it was passed late in the pandemic, when an upturn was in sight. “There’s a danger of overheating the economy” from injecting so much spending, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the center-right American Action Forum.

Comparing Biden With His Predecessors

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 100-day accomplishments remain head-and-shoulders above any of his successors, experts agree. Roosevelt signed 15 major bills to overhaul the economy and fight the Great Depression. Harry Truman navigated the post-World War II rebuilding of alliances, economies and stability. Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. Barack Obama authorized a nearly $800 billion stimulus package to combat a devastating recession.

“Biden compares quite favorably with every other president after Franklin Roosevelt,” said Max Skidmore, a University of Missouri-Kansas City political scientist.

Biden has faced arguably fiercer partisan polarization than any of those predecessors — no congressional Republican voted for the American Rescue Plan, and most GOP lawmakers have expressed reservations about other aspects of his policy agenda. In addition, Biden’s party has narrow majorities in the House and Senate.

Experts believe that the narrow margins in Congress will push Biden to continue using executive orders and other administrative actions to advance his agenda. Biden has so far used executive orders on the coronavirus, immigration and gun policy. In some cases, Biden was able to overturn executive orders signed by Trump, who, like Biden, turned to executive orders when he was unable to get some of his priorities through both chambers of Congress.

“All recent presidents seek legislative change if they can get it, but most have spent the bulk of their terms with divided government,” Frendreis said. “Even when they have unified government, they rarely enjoy a filibuster-proof Senate majority. President Biden is no different on this score.”

KHN’s Emmarie Huetteman and Victoria Knight as well as PolitiFact’s Amy Sherman and Miriam Valverde contributed to this report.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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This story can be republished for free (details).

Evaluating President Joe Biden’s First 100 Days in Office published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

[casquecest]

@pocketsizedquasar-3

I'm choosing to believe this post was made in good faith, and I debated whether to let it go, but decided that shit is too important right now to let your misinformation slide, so. . .

Mate, do you even remember the 2016 election? The primaries leading up to it? How Clinton's platform shifted left after she won the primaries because of how strong the support for Sanders's proposals (and Sanders himself) were? That's not even remotely abandoning progressives and courting the right.

How in 2020, Biden also shifted to pledging support for student loan debt forgiveness/relief (which he did sign an executive order to enact, which was subsequently struck down by Republican judges, but he and his administration has continued to try to push forward through other channels, and has had limited success in doing).

The Green New Deal and rejoining the Paris Agreement? The infrastructure bill? The support for unions? Consumer advocacy in various and sundry ways, like mandating airlines automatically fully refund you via the method in which you paid (so, not vouchers or air credits) if your domestic flight is delayed more than three hours, or reinstating regulations that were suspended during the Trump administration? Caps on prescription drug prices? These are all things the Democrats have done in the last four years. You can't tell me, in good faith, that this is a party that isn't at least trying to help people, that this is a party that isn't listening to its constituents. All of the aforementioned successes of the Democratic party are a shift left from where they were even ten years ago.

On NO POLICY WHATSOEVER is Kamala Harris to the right of Donald Trump. Where are you even getting that?! It's so patently absurd as to be laughable, or you're just wildly misinformed.

Your view of 'why should I care about them [Democrats] winning?' is myopic, childish, and selfish (even without your facts being completely backwards). You should care because the alternative is infinitely worse for not just this country, but the world, including Gaza. When you have Trump saying that Harris is restraining Netanyahu with her constant demands for a cease-fire, with withholding certain weapons, that the Biden-Harris administration are 'holding [Netanyahu] back,' and that he, Trump, would have Israel take a 'total victory,' and that it be done quick, that he's 'glad that Bibi decided to do what he had to do,' and that the whole operation is 'moving along pretty good,' I think that paints a stark difference in how the two potential administrations would approach the situation once in office. I understand and recognise that Harris's promises of a solution where Palestinians are afforded the dignity and self-determination they deserve are next to meaningless to a people who are currently being slaughtered in their homes and have been for over a year, and oppressed for decades (I do think the current administration is not doing nearly enough to help Palestinians and doing too much to support Israel (because, let's be real, Israel is too important a geopolitical foothold in the region for US interests for the US to abandon it or hold it too strongly to account, and, morally, that is reprehensible and completely disgusting, but that's the reality of it), but when you contrast that with Trump, who doesn't seem to acknowledge at all that there is Palestinian suffering, or that Palestinians deserve anything at all, I do think that makes a difference.

Why it should matter to you whether Democrats win is that Trump says he will use the National Guard and/or the American military on his 'political enemies', who could change at the drop of one of his 'weaves'. It should matter to you that he asked why the National Guard couldn't 'just shoot [BLM protesters] in the legs' in 2020. It should matter to you that he's promising to lock up journalists and anyone who criticises him. It should matter to you because it is the President who appoints Supreme Court Justices, and we've already seen the fallout of Trump-appointed Justices reversing Roe v. Wade, in determining the US President is immune from prosecution for crimes committed in office. It should matter to you that Democrats win because his first administration dismantled a lot of the guardrails that kept the US a democracy, as flawed as it is, and the Republicans are so cowardly they did nothing to stop it, and actually helped enable it. It should matter to you that several major newspapers have refused to endorse any candidate for fear of Trump reprisals should he get in office. It should matter to you that he wants to revoke the broadcast licenses of any network who says 'not nice' things about him. It should matter to you that these are direct attacks on our Constitution, especially one that is most fundamental to the US: the freedom of speech. It should matter to you that he's promising to deport 15-20 million 'illegals', and that he's already harpooned a bill that would have at least addressed the immigration issue.

It should matter to you that Democrats win because, if they don't, we will end up with a man that has no interest in governing, but in dictating, purely for his own fragile ego and to stay out of jail.

And that's not even getting into Project 2025.

You're going to vote, or not vote, however you like, but you're a damned fool if you think Kamala Harris would be worse for this country and the world than Donald Trump.

Third party voters don't currently have enough consolidated power, nor consensus, for any electoral victory, but they do have enough to play spoiler in each individual state, which can swing the entire election, and this kind of bullshit is trying to swing people away from voting for Harris, from actively going against Trump via their vote. You don't have to like her. You don't even have to agree with her, but you have to recognise that one choice is clearly and objectively better than the other for everyone.

due to systemic oppression, usamerican leftists don't currently have the political power to instate a leftist president. we do, however, have enough power to make one of two candidates lose the election. we could use this power to make the white supremacist lose to the black woman, or we could use it to make the black woman lose to the white supremacist. the obvious choice for leftists would be to prioritize making the white supremacist lose, but tumblr users have devised a loop hole, where they agitate primarily for making the black woman lose, but omit the detail about who she would be losing to. this makes their stance more palatable to people who correctly believe that having a white supremacist president would be the worst possible outcome.

[stephenmccull]

Evaluating President Joe Biden’s First 100 Days in Office

In the first 100 days, new presidents try to turn campaign promises into quick legislative victories, defuse lingering crises, set themselves apart from their predecessor and set a leadership tone for the next four years — all while avoiding blunders that could destroy their momentum.

This story ran in partnership with PolitiFact. It can be republished for free.

So how is President Joe Biden doing as he approaches this mark?

Not bad, experts say, given the scale of the crisis he’s tackling and the political opposition he faces in Congress.

“I think there are three accomplishments that stand out so far: the ramped-up coronavirus vaccine distribution, the passage of the American Rescue Plan and the return to the Paris Climate Agreement,” said John Frendreis, a political scientist at Loyola University in Chicago.

When Biden took office, the seven-day rolling average for vaccinations was 777,000 a day, but that number rose under Biden to about 3 million a day. As his 100th day approached, about half of the 16-and-older U.S. population had received at least one dose of vaccine. In addition, more than 80% of seniors had received at least one shot, and 25% of American adults were fully vaccinated.

The American Rescue Plan was a $1.9 trillion bill aimed at both providing additional funding for fighting the pandemic and helping the economy through the resulting recession. The measure included aid to state and local governments, increased unemployment insurance, support for vaccination efforts, education aid, refundable child tax credits and housing assistance.

“Few presidents have passed anything as consequential as the relief package” in their first 100 days, said John J. Pitney Jr., a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College.

Beyond these items, our partners at PolitiFact provide a detailed accounting of other actions taken by Biden during his early tenure.

Other moves have been more intangible, but no less significant, experts said. “One word sums it up: normality,” Pitney said. “We can now skip the news for a day or two without worrying that we’ve missed a scandal or a crazy presidential tweet. Biden has made mistakes, such as having to backtrack on refugee policy, but they are the kind of mistakes that presidents normally make early in their term.”

Here is a closer look at what the Biden administration has done, and how his overall performance compares with his predecessors. (Biden’s 100th day in office is Thursday, if you count his half-day in office on Jan. 20.)

The Coronavirus Pandemic and Health Care

Experts said it’s possible that the vaccine rollout would have ramped up no matter who was president, but they added that Biden deserves credit for taking certain steps. He pushed manufacturers to increase vaccine production, provided federal support for mass vaccination sites and ensured that a vaccine is accessible within 5 miles of almost every American.

“He’s done a really good job,” said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association for Immunization Managers. “The first thing he did when he came into office was set a tone and goals, and that was important to have a benchmark.”

Biden has also met two goals he’d set for his first 100 days in office — first, 100 million covid vaccine doses, then, after achieving that goal on the 58th day of his presidency, 200 million doses. On April 22, eight days before his 100th day, that goal was achieved, too.

“At the end of the day, the proof is in the results,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “More than half of the population having had at least one shot means they’ve been extraordinarily successful.”

Biden also notched a victory on health insurance. Part of the $1.9 trillion relief package was a provision that no one must spend more than 8.5% of what they earn on insurance premiums, which experts say is among the most significant changes to the affordability of private insurance since the ACA.

And he kept other promises that he made on the campaign trail, such as rejoining the World Health Organization and restoring the White House directorate for global health security. (PolitiFact is tracking 100 of his campaign promises on the Biden Promise Tracker.)

In addition, “restoring the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] to a place of prominence, having scientists speaking to the general public on a regular basis, this is all evidence that science is clearly a priority for the federal government and for the White House,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

Other promises on health have been more difficult to keep, such as mandating masks nationwide. While Biden did implement a mask mandate in areas where the federal government has authority, such as federal buildings, airplanes and other types of transportation, Republican governors in states such as Texas and Alabama have rolled back their mask mandates in recent months. We rated this promise as a Compromise.

The administration faces challenges in getting the remainder of the U.S. vaccinated. There are indications that the number of daily vaccinations is slowing, and some people tell pollsters that they are unwilling to get vaccinated at all.

“The challenges ahead include continuing to adjust the vaccination effort in order to get the next 20% of people vaccinated,” said Hannan. “And we’ll eventually need to get vaccinations to kids, too. We will just have to keep adjusting our efforts for different populations.”

Biden’s progress in containing the pandemic has also paid dividends for the economy, boosting consumer activity that had been restrained during the pandemic.

Key elements of the American Rescue Plan included unemployment assistance, a temporary expansion of the child tax credit, an increase in food stamp aid and aid to state and local governments for public health, housing and education. Those items “deal squarely and forthrightly with the economic calamities that have stuck working-class and poorer Americans as a result of the public health crisis,” said Gary Burtless, an economist at the Brookings Institution.

Critics have expressed concerns about the plan’s size and timing, saying it was passed late in the pandemic, when an upturn was in sight. “There’s a danger of overheating the economy” from injecting so much spending, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the center-right American Action Forum.

Comparing Biden With His Predecessors

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 100-day accomplishments remain head-and-shoulders above any of his successors, experts agree. Roosevelt signed 15 major bills to overhaul the economy and fight the Great Depression. Harry Truman navigated the post-World War II rebuilding of alliances, economies and stability. Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. Barack Obama authorized a nearly $800 billion stimulus package to combat a devastating recession.

“Biden compares quite favorably with every other president after Franklin Roosevelt,” said Max Skidmore, a University of Missouri-Kansas City political scientist.

Biden has faced arguably fiercer partisan polarization than any of those predecessors — no congressional Republican voted for the American Rescue Plan, and most GOP lawmakers have expressed reservations about other aspects of his policy agenda. In addition, Biden’s party has narrow majorities in the House and Senate.

Experts believe that the narrow margins in Congress will push Biden to continue using executive orders and other administrative actions to advance his agenda. Biden has so far used executive orders on the coronavirus, immigration and gun policy. In some cases, Biden was able to overturn executive orders signed by Trump, who, like Biden, turned to executive orders when he was unable to get some of his priorities through both chambers of Congress.

“All recent presidents seek legislative change if they can get it, but most have spent the bulk of their terms with divided government,” Frendreis said. “Even when they have unified government, they rarely enjoy a filibuster-proof Senate majority. President Biden is no different on this score.”

KHN’s Emmarie Huetteman and Victoria Knight as well as PolitiFact’s Amy Sherman and Miriam Valverde contributed to this report.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

Evaluating President Joe Biden’s First 100 Days in Office published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

[patriotsnet]

Who Controls The Senate Republicans Or Democrats

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/who-controls-the-senate-republicans-or-democrats/

Who Controls The Senate Republicans Or Democrats

Th Congress 2015 And 2016

The 114th Congress was notable because Republicans won their largest majorities in the House and Senate in decades after voters used the midterm election in 2014 to express dissatisfaction with a Democratic president, Barack Obama. Democrats lost control of the Senate in the 2014 elections.

Said Obama after the results became clear:

“Obviously, Republicans had a good night. And they deserve credit for running good campaigns. Beyond that, I’ll leave it to all of you and the professional pundits to pick through yesterday’s results.”

White House: Democrat

House: Republicans held 246 seats, Democrats held 187 seats; there were two vacancies.

Senate: Republicans held 54 seats, Democrats held 44 seats; there were two independents, both of whom caucused with the Democrats.

Who Now Controls The Senate

Chuck Schumer became majority leader following the swearing in of Democratic Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California by Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021.

Warnock, 51, and Ossoff, 33, had won special elections earlier in the month that determined control of the Senate. 

Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader: We have a lengthy agenda, and we need to get it done together.

“This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate.”

The ceremony officially cemented a shift in power in the chamber in the wake of the US election.

There is now a 50-50 split in the Senate which means the new Vice President will be able to break any possible ties as she will have the casting vote.

The Vice President also serves as president of the Senate. 

What Is A Senate Runoff

The candidates in Georgia were forced into the January runoff contests after no candidate reached the 50 per cent threshold needed to win outright in multi-candidate races.

States require runoff elections when no candidate receives a majority of the vote.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said that the runoff system was intended “to encourage candidates to broaden their appeal to a wider range of voters, to reduce the likelihood of electing candidates who are at the ideological extremes of a party, and to produce a nominee who may be more electable in the general election.”

What Are Senate Runoff Elections And Why Do They Happen

Senate runoff elections do not happen in every state, and only 12 states abide by the runoff election system.

A runoff election happens when more than two candidates run for an office seat, and the electorates votes do not give one candidate a 50% majority. The two candidates that received the most votes in that election hold another election , where the electorate votes again to give one of those two a majority and decide a winner.

Georgia Election: Democrats On Course For Senate Control

US election 2020

The Democratic Party of US President-elect Joe Biden is on the verge of taking control of the Senate as results come in from two elections in Georgia.

Pastor Raphael Warnock is projected to win one seat. Fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff leads narrowly in the other.

If they both win, Mr Biden will control Congress fully and have a much better chance of pushing through his agenda.

He said it was “time to turn the page. The American people demand action and they want unity”.

Th United States Congress

United States Congress

116th United States Congress January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 Members 1st: January 3, 2019 January 3, 20202nd: January 3, 2020  January 3, 2021

The 116th United States Congress was the meeting of the 116th legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the and the House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021, during the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. Senators elected to regular terms in 2014 finished their terms in this Congress, and House seats were based on the 2010 Census.

In the November 2018 midterm elections, the Democratic Party a new majority in the House, while the Republican Party its majority in the Senate. Consequently, this was the first split Congress since the 113th Congress of 20132015, and the first Republican SenateDemocratic House split since the 99th Congress of 19851987. This Congress was the youngest incoming class by mean age in the past three cycles and the most demographically diverse ever.

As of 2021, the 116th United States Congress is the most recent Congress in which:

Republicans controlled either branch of the congress ,

Poll Shows Manchin Wildly Out Of Step With West Virginia Voters On Voting Rights Bill

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

A hail fellow well met

DP Veteran

roguenuke said:I think this is the most likely answer just in terms of the Senate races .The GOP seats are more likely to be in danger here than the Dem seats that are up but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t risk, especially being so close.

A summer-long advocacy campaign to rally voters to support the For the People Act, a federal election bill.You can get involved by calling yourSenators at 888-453-3211 / and Zipcodeor any Senator??? Just get their Home Zipcode

Congressional Balance Of Power Odds

Note: The following odds are currently off the boards, but this is how they looked on Election Day 2020.

US Senate Control *

Republicans  +100

House And Senate Balance Of Power *

Democratic House, Democratic Senate +125

Democratic House, Republican Senate +175

Republican House, Republican Senate +500

Republican House, Democratic Senate +6600

*Odds from Nov. 1, 2020.

Which Party Holds The Advantage In The 2022 Senate Elections

The 2022 Senate elections are expected to be hotly contested once again as the Democrats try to build on their majority while the GOP attempts to once again regain control. Which party holds the advantage following the 2022 US Senate elections will factor heavily on the performance of President Joe Biden.

If his policies during his first two years gain traction and are viewed favorably by voters, then the DNC will have a solid shot at retaining, or adding to, their current majority. The odds produced by the top legal election betting sites will be revealed before too long, and quite often, they reflect a more accurate election result than pundit predictions.

New York State Senate

New York State Senate Senate Chamber at New York State Capitol, Albany Website

The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, the New York State Assembly being the lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. As of 2014, there are 63 seats in the Senate. The New York State Senate is the highest-paid state upper house and state senate in the country.

Who Controls The Senate 2021

THE Democrats are now officially in charge of the Senate – but only by the narrowest of margins.

That means President Joe Biden has inherited a -controlled House of Representatives and Senate.

* Read our Donald Trump impeachment live blog for the very latest news and updates on the former president…

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Still, Democrats will have one chance per year to bypass Republicans altogether and try to pass major legislation. Each year the Senate can pass a budget reconciliation bill, which is exempt from the filibuster and only needs a majority to pass. In theory, these bills need to pertain to the federal budget, but that can be interpreted widely. Republicans tried to use a budget reconciliation bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, only to fail to gain 50 Republican votes.

The Georgia results give Bidens ability to tackle the climate crisis, one of his priorities, a big boost. The new Senate opens the door to raising spending, whether it relates to the federal budget or the next coronavirus aid package, on climate, resiliency, and environmental justice efforts. Theres also now a greater chance that Congress confirms Bidens environmental appointees.

But the incoming administration still faces an uphill battle in passing any new, bold climate laws, the kind needed to meet Bidens goal of dramatically cutting climate pollution from the transportation, buildings, and energy sectors in the coming decades.

Tied Senate: Who Controls A 50

The results of the 2020 election continue to be finalized, but one possible outcome is an evenly divided Senate sometime after January 5, 2021. This raises questions regarding which party will hold the majority and who the majority leader will be, as well as whether we should anticipate a completely deadlocked Senate on every vote, among others. Here are seven things you need to know

Statement from Bipartisan Policy Center President Jason Grumet: BPCs Bipartisan Approach to a Partisan Process

Weve Had A Split Senate Before And They Mostly Figured It Out

The most recent 50-50 Senate occurred following the 2000 election. Sens. Tom Daschle and Trent Lott , then Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate respectively, formed a powersharing agreement to guide the chamber. Key features of the agreement included:

Majority Leader: Lott was recognized as the de factor majority leader following Inauguration Day, based on the tie-breaking vote of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

Committees would have equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats;

If a tie vote prevented a measure or nomination from being reported to the full Senate, the majority or minority leader could move to discharge the committee from further consideration; Debate on the question of discharge was limited, and therefore, a filibuster could not block it.

Debate: Cloture motions, which are used to bring debate on a measure or nomination to a close and prevent filibusters, could not be filed on any amendable item of business during the first 12 hours of debate.

Scheduling and agenda: the leaders were to attempt to balance the interests of the parties in setting the Senates schedule and deciding what matters to bring up for consideration.

An important caveat in the agreement noted that Senate Rules do not prohibit the right of the Democratic Leader, or any other Senator, to move to proceed to any item.

Tie Votes In The Senate Are Broken By The Vice President

A Senate split evenly between Democrats and Republicans raises the potential for tie votes. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states that, The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The vice president may decline to vote on a tied matter. In recent history, the vice presidents presence in the Senate is a rare occurrence, but in an evenly divided Senate, he or she may need to break tie votes more often if the parties cannot agree. Senator Harris, the vice president elect, may not be getting far away from Capitol Hill after all.

Democrats Control House And Senate For First Time Since 2011 As Schumer Ousts Mcconnell

Mitch McConnellChuck SchumerKamala Harris

On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York took on the role of Majority Leader, taking the title away from Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as regained control of both congressional chambers for the first time since 2011.

Control of the Senate shifted over to a 50-50 party split on Wednesday as Democratic Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were both sworn in as the 49th and 50th Democratic senators, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the deciding vote should the chambers’ votes ever end in a tie.

Also sworn in on Wednesday was Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California. Padilla was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the vacated seat of Vice President Kamala Harris, who had previously served as a Californian senator. On Wednesday, Harris swore in Padilla, Ossoff and Warnock.

At the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention, Schumer said that Democrats would work with Biden to help him achieve his ambitious agenda.

“We will make health care affordable for all, we’ll undo the vicious inequality of income and wealth that has plagued America for far too long, and we’ll take strong, decisive action to combat climate change and save the planet,” Schumer said.

Lindsey Graham Thinks Donald Trump Will Remain Strongest Republican Voice

Newsweek contacted Schumer’s office for comment.

The Winding Road To Democratic Control

Following an anxious four days of waiting after the 2020 general election, nearly all major news networks declared that Joe Biden had exceeded 270 electoral votes and won the presidency. Democrats also retained control of the U.S. House, although their majority has been trimmed back .

But the U.S. Senate still hung in the balance, a tantalizing prize for Democrats dreaming of a trifecta, and a bulwark against a Democratic agenda for Republicans who seek to hold onto some power under the new Biden administration that will be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.

Republicans claimed 50 Senate seats after the November election, two more than the 48 seats claimed by the Democratic Caucus at that time.

The Senates balance of power teetered on the fulcrum of Georgias two seats, both of which were decided by the January 5th runoff election. Georgia law requires candidates to be voted in with at least 50% of the votes cast; if a candidate does not reach that threshold the two candidates who received the highest number of votes face one another in a runoff election.

Georgias runoff election featured these match-ups:

Incumbent David Perdue versus Jon Ossoff .According to Georgias Secretary of State, received 88,000 more votes than , but came up just shy of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. This is in part due to the 115,000 votes that went to Libertarian candidate Shane Hazel who will not appear on the January ballot.

Republican Memo Warns Us Senate At Risk Of Falling Into Democratic Control

Memo summarizes senate races of 10 states and how the outcome of each could determine who controls the Senate

A memo by Senate Republicans campaign arm has admitted that control of the upper chamber is at risk and that Democrats could win the Senate in Novembers elections.

The September 2020 political update from the National Republican Senatorial Committee summarizes the state of the race of 10 states with Senate races around the country and how the outcome of each could factor into whether Republicans or control the chamber in January.

The memo, obtained by the Guardian, has been circulating among political operatives, donors and interested parties. It comes just shy of 50 days before the November 2020 elections.

The next few weeks will define the future of our country for generations to come, the NRSC memo reads.

Memos like these are often shaped like dispassionate updates but in actuality they are often used to convince interested parties that races slipping out of reach are still in play. They are also often used to juice donations to lagging candidates and counter trending narratives.

Democrats need to pick up three or four seats to take control of the Senate. The fact that the NRSC memo categorizes seven Senate races as ones that simply cant be lost or deserve serious attention suggests that its possible, but not certain that Democrats can take control of the Senate.

Who Will Control The Senate In 2022; Democrats Or Republicans

$1.9 trillion Covid relief legislationOn infrastructureinfrastructure RepublicansOn voting rightsFor the People ActRepublicans even filibusteredindependent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

After President Biden signed his $1.9 trillion Covid relief legislation into law back in March, political observers were calling him a transformational president.Since then, however, there hasnt been a lot of transformation in Washington at least when it comes to Bidens legislative agenda.On infrastructure, Senate Democrats dont have 50 votes to go it alone, given Sen. Joe Manchins desire for a bipartisan deal. And there still isnt an obvious path forward to cut a bipartisan infrastructure deal with Republicans.On voting rights, Manchin said hell the For the People Act that the Senate will take up later this month.And last month, Senate Republicans even filibustereda bill to create an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.First Read is your briefing from “Meet the Press” and the NBC Political Unit on the day’s most important political stories and why they matter.www.nbcnews.com

UnTrueManchin is opposing his own voters.This is an understatement. THEY LOVE HR-1But on HR1, they support it far more.

Us Election 2020: Democrats’ Hopes Of Gaining Control Of Senate Fade

Democrats are rapidly losing hope of gaining control of the US Senate after underperforming in key states.

Controlling the Senate would have allowed them to either obstruct or push through the next president’s agenda.

The party had high hopes of gaining the four necessary seats in Congress’s upper chamber, but many Republican incumbents held their seats.

The Democrats are projected to retain their majority in the lower chamber, the House, but with some key losses.

With many votes still to be counted, the final outcome for both houses may not be known for some time.

Why don’t we have a winner yet?

Among the disappointments for the Democrats was the fight for the seat in Maine, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins staved off a fierce challenge from Democrat Sara Gideon.

However, the night did see a number of firsts – including the first black openly LGBTQ people ever elected to Congress and the first openly transgender state senator.

The balance of power in the Senate may also change next January. At least one run-off election is due to be held that month in Georgia, since neither candidate has been able to secure more than 50% of votes.

This year’s congressional election is running alongside the battle for the White House between Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

Of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs, 23 were Republican-held and 12 were Democrat.

Senators serve six-year terms, and every two years a third of the seats are up for re-election.

What Democrats Want To Do

Democrats widely agree a new Covid-19 relief and response package should be their first priority. A new bill would likely be modeled on the House-passed HEROES Act, which included $75 million for testing and contact tracing, strike teams to tackle challenges around long-term care and prisons, and funding to help cash-strapped state and local governments.

Next, Democrats say they want to deal with the stagnating economy. Biden has released a $2 trillion green jobs plan, aiming to create millions of jobs through green infrastructure, retrofitting houses, and manufacturing electric cars, among other things. There are a number of ways Bidens White House can work on achieving these goals, but he needs Congress to fully realize it.

In addition to fighting and containing the coronavirus, we will work aggressively to create jobs and improve the unemployment crisis caused by President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Vox in a statement earlier this fall.

Biden shares the broad goal of getting the United States to net-zero emissions by 2050, but hes also set more aggressive targets, like getting to 100 percent clean electricity in the US by 2035. House Democrats also passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill in July, which could be merged with Bidens climate plan.

Democrats will likely push for a climate component in any future infrastructure package, but Republicans may balk at that idea and push for a more targeted bill.

Diversity Of The Freshman Class

The demographics of the 116th U.S. Congress freshmen were more diverse than any previous incoming class.

At least 25 new congressional representatives were Hispanic, Native American, or people of color, and the incoming class included the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, and the two youngest women ever elected. The 116th Congress included more women elected to the House than any previous Congress.

Democrat Jon Ossoff Claims Victory Over David Perdue In Georgia Runoff

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is expected to replace GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell as majority leader and will determine which bills come to the floor for votes.

The ambitious proposals addressing climate change and health care and other domestic priorities touted by Biden and Harris will be difficult, if impossible, to advance with more moderate Democrats especially those facing competitive 2022 midterm reelection campaigns reluctant to sign onto partisan proposals. The much House Democratic majority compounds the challenge for the party.

Instead, Biden will need to consider which domestic priorities can get bipartisan support since Senate rules now require anything to get 60 votes to advance. The president-elect has already indicated that additional coronavirus relief will be his first priority, but he has also said he plans to unveil an infrastructure plan that could get support from Republicans.

In a statement Wednesday, Biden said that “Georgia’s voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. On COVID-19, on economic relief, on climate, on racial justice, on voting rights and so much more. They want us to move, but move together.”

The president-elect also spoke to Democrats’ potential total control of Washington.

Why Is There An Election In Georgia

The election is being rerun because of Georgia’s rule that a candidate must take 50% of the vote in order to win.

None of the candidates in November’s general election met that threshold.

With 98% of votes counted, US TV networks and the Associated Press news agency called the first of the two races for Mr Warnock.

Control of the Senate in the first two years of Mr Biden’s term will be determined by the outcome of the second run-off.

Mr Warnock is set to become the first black senator for the state of Georgia – a slavery state in the US Civil War – and only the 11th black senator in US history.

He serves as the reverend of the Atlanta church where assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr grew up and preached.

Claiming victory, he paid tribute to his mother, Verlene, who as a teenager worked as a farm labourer.

“The other day – because this is America – the 82-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said.

If both Democrats win, the Senate will be evenly split 50-50, allowing incoming Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. The Democrats narrowly control the House of Representatives.

Mr Ossoff has also claimed victory in his race against Republican Senator David Perdue, but that race is even tighter. At 33, he would be the Senate’s youngest member for 40 years.

Mr Biden won at least seven million more votes than the president.

Th Congress 2001 And 2002

White House: Republican

House: Republicans held 221 seats, Democrats held 212 seats; there were two independents

Senate: Republicans held 50 seats, Democrats held 48 seats; there were two independents

*Notes: This session of the Senate began with the chamber evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. But on June 6, 2001, U.S. Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont switched from Republican to independent and began caucusing with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage. Later on Oct. 25, 2002, Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul D. Wellstone died and independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. On Nov. 5, 2002, Republican U.S. Sen. James Talent of Missouri replaced Democratic U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan, shifting the balance back to the Republicans.