Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020 (RNC video screenshot)
Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, was declared by news organizations to have won re-election to his Senate seat on Tuesday, even though early returns had Republican Daniel Gade leading the vote total.
It was the first Senate race to be awarded a winner, but it came with less than 1% of the precincts reporting, and it was based on his historical influence and vote-getting ability in the state.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the majority leader for Senate Republicans, had been specifically targeted by Democrats, but was declared the winner in Kentucky.
He has played a key role in President Trump's effort to appoint Constitution-oriented judges to federal court benches, including three appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
West Virginia's Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, also was declared a winner over challengers Paula Swearengin and David Moran.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., whose fiery agenda in the Senate has riled Democrats several times in just the last few weeks, was leading his challenger, even though, once again, less than 1% of the ballots were reported.
And incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire was leading in early results.
A number of high-profile senators on were expected to be re-elected in a contest that will decide control of the upper chamber in Congress, a competition that may not end for weeks yet because of at least one race that had more than a dozen candidates, but required the winner to earn 50% or more, or face a runoff.
That race, for Republican Sen. Sen. Kelly Loeffler's seat representing Georgia, had about 20 hopefuls, but early returns gave none of them the required percentage.
Leading with only a fraction of the precincts reporting was Democrat Ralph Warnock, with Loeffler in second, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., in third.
There are two special elections, for the other Georgia seat, opened up by the resignation of Sen. Johnny Isakson at the end of 2019. Republican David Perdue had been appointed to the seat, but must stand for re-election.
The other special election is in Arizona, where Martha McSally was appointed to replace the late Sen. John McCain, and is facing a challenge from Mark Kelly.
There are 33 seats that ordinarily are up for re-election in the Senate, which divides its candidates into different classes for six-year terms, so at least two-thirds remain through each election.
The split in the Senate as been 53 seats held by Republicans and 45 by Democrats, with two independents who align with Democrats.
Republicans are defending 23 seats while the Democrats are defending 12.
In the 2014 election, the last time these same seats were up for election, Republicans won nine seats from Democrats and took over the majority in the Senate. They maintained their hold in 2016 and 2018.
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