Following the inconclusive results of yesterday’s U.S. presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump appears likely to win the presidency once again.
Republicans are also positioned to gain control of the Senate for the first time in four years, capturing seats previously held by Democrats in West Virginia and Ohio.
Though the House of Representatives remains undecided as of early Wednesday morning, the Republican party currently holds the advantage. According to the latest data, Republicans lead with 190 seats, needing 218 to secure a majority.
In the Senate, Republicans obtained 51 seats shortly after midnight (U.S. time). Key Republican wins included Ohio, where Senator-elect Bernie Moreno defeated Democratic incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown, and West Virginia, where Governor Jim Justice will replace independent Senator Joe Manchin.
The Republicans also successfully defended several seats. Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rick Scott (Florida) both secured re-election, despite significant last-minute spending by Senate Democrats. Senator Deb Fischer won a third term in Nebraska, defeating independent candidate Dan Osborn.
The size of the Republican majority may expand depending on results from other undecided districts.
Meanwhile, global investors appear to view Trump’s current standing as a sign of his likely victory. Both the U.S. dollar and Bitcoin have started to rally, even as vote counts continue.
Exit polls from U.S. television networks indicated that “the fate of American democracy” was the top issue for 35% of voters, followed by the economy at 31%. Abortion and immigration were cited by 14% and 11% of voters, respectively.
