Senate Elections 2014: Republicans Seize Control of Senate

iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Republicans handed a major defeat to President Obama and Senate Democrats on Tuesday night when they seized control of the Senate by flipping at least seven seats from the Democratic to the GOP column.

Republicans secured victory in seven states where Democrats currently hold seats -– Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. Three incumbent Democratic senators lost their seats – Sens. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and Mark Udall, D-Colo.

Iowa and West Virginia elected their first female senators — Joni Ernst and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, respectively.

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won re-election in Kentucky, putting him one step closer to becoming Senate Majority Leader next year. Current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid congratulated McConnell on the Republican win.

“I’d like to congratulate Senator McConnell, who will be the new Senate Majority Leader,” Reid said. “The message from voters is clear: they want us to work together. I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to get things done for the middle class.”

Louisiana will go to a Dec. 6 run-off between Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy.

Throughout the election cycle, Republicans tried to turn the campaign into a referendum on President Obama, tying their Democratic opponents to the unpopular president in campaign ads and stump speeches.

Exit polls found nearly two thirds of voters nationwide said the country is heading down the wrong track with over half of voters disapproving of President Obama. Half of voters expect life for the next generation of Americans to be worse, the largest number to say so in exit polls since 1996.

While a majority of voters expressed dissatisfaction or anger towards the Obama administration, just as many said they were dissatisfied or angry with Republican leaders in Congress.

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