GOP secures one net gain in control of the Senate with 16 races called

Republican Jim Justice on Tuesday night was declared the winner of the West Virginia Senate race, putting his party one net gain away from controlling the chamber. West Virginia was the first Senate seat to flip, but only 16 races have been called so far. 

The West Virginia race was called by the Associated Press at about 7:30 p.m. ET.

Justice was expected to win against his Democratic challenger Glenn Elliott, having led essentially throughout the entire race.  

The seat was held by retiring Independent Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat until he left the party earlier this year.

There are 34 Senate races on Tuesday night. Republicans are currently projected to hold 46 seats next year, while Democrats are projected to hold 36, but 18 races are still to be called as of 9:30 p.m. Eastern.

Republicans' are hoping pickup a Montana Senate seat, where Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is seeking a fourth term in a state that is also is heavily Republican. He was trailing GOP challenger Tim Sheehy by about 6 percentage points early on Election Day, according to the latest polling average from RealClearPolling.

Other targeted pickups for the GOP include Ohio, where Republican Bernie Moreno is trying to unseat incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown. However, that race a been exceedingly close the for essentially the entire election cycle and going into Election Days was is statistically tied.

There are a couple of wildcard races in which incumbent Senate Republicans could lose reelection, which would result in their party having to win addition seats to to control the chamber. 

In Texas, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is facing a strong challenge from Democratic Rep. Collin Allred, And in Nebraska, GOP Sen. Debbie Fischer is running a close race for a third term against Independent Dan Osborn. The most recent poll in October has the pair tied, per Project FiveThirtyEight. 

Incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Banks has been projected to keep his Senate seat, and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is projected to keep his, the Associated Press has called.

Republican Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker was also projected to win his reelection, along with Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott, AP called at approximately 8 p.m. The outlet also called races for Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy in Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, and Sheldon Whitehouse in Rhode Island.

Newcomers Democrat Andy Kim won his first Senate term in New Jersey, and Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won a Senate seat in Delaware. Both were expected to win their races. Democrat Angela Alsobrooks defeated former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in their battle for the seat.

If Trump wins on Tuesday night, Republicans need to flip just one seat because the vice president would cast the tie-breaking vote. If Vice President Kamala Harris wins, Democrats can afford to lose one Senate seat.

Democrats control the 100-member chamber 49 to 51, a number that includes four independents voting with them. 

They are Sanders, Angus King of Maine, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Manchin, who essentially vote Democrat.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.