US media predicts House flips to Democrats, reports BBC
President Donald Trump’s favourite news outlet, Fox News Decision Desk projects that Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years. So is NBC News, which estimates Democrats have a 65% chance of winning a majority in the House.
But polls in California – a key Democratic stronghold – as well as Washington state, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska are still open – which means it’s too early to tell.
Summary
1. Democrats look like they will get the 23 districts they need to take control of the House
2. But their hopes of taking the Senate recede, so it looks like the divided government will prevail
3. Watch the BBC News election night special by clicking the image at top of the page
4. Many see the election as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s presidency
5. The first Muslim woman is elected to Congress and convicts in Florida get the vote
A vocal critic of Trump, Romney was seen as a shoo-in for outgoing Republican Senator Orrin Hatch’s seat.
Romney has kept a low profile since losing his 2012 race to oust President Barack Obama, but assiduously maintained his links to the Republican party.
In 2016 he positioned himself as the voice of mainstream conservatism with stinging attacks on Trump.
Republican Mike Braun gave his victory speech in Indiana, where he defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly.
Braun said that while travelling around the state, he rarely stayed in hotels and instead relied on the kindness of residents who put them up in their own homes.
He said he “made friend with hoosiers the way a campaign like this should be”, using the nickname given to Indiana residents.
“I would love to see a change in politics because its gotten way too nasty on both sides,” he told the crowd.
“It should be about ideas. It should be about what you bring to the table.”
At 22:00, polls in Iowa, Montana, Nevada, Utah and parts of Oregon and Idaho have now closed.
Democrats are hoping for a victory in Iowa, where Republican incumbent Steve King has been repeatedly criticised for his support of white nationalists and neo-Nazis on Twitter.
California, Hawaii, and Washington state will be among the next to close at 23:00.
