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GOP maintains control of both chambers of Congress

House Speaker Paul Ryan (L) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (File photo)

The United States Congress is projected to remain under the control of Republicans whose nominee Donald Trump was elected president.

Republicans claimed the majority of seats in both chambers of Congress, with 51 seats in the Senate and 235 in the House, according to media reports. Democrats have won 47 Senate seats and 191 seats in the lower chamber.

Although a few Senate races were still undecided, the results so far show Democrats no longer have a probable path toward capturing control of the 100-seat chamber.

Democrats had only gained one seat from Republicans, in Illinois, where US Representative Tammy Duckworth defeated Senator Mark Kirk. Democrats needed to pick up a net five seats to take Senate control.

Republicans have mostly opposed comprehensive immigration reform and the national healthcare program known as Obamacare, gun control and expanded environmental and financial regulations.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is expected to retain his post for at least the next two years.

In the House, however, Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, would have to deal with a divided party and a controversial battle in his re-election bid in January.

Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by AFP)

Trump, the party’s nominee for president, routed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, winning the race for the White House after polls closed on Tuesday night.

Trump won 288 electoral votes as opposed to Clinton who achieved 218, in what had seemed to be an unachievable victory for the business mogul. A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to become president.

The 70-year-old real estate developer and former reality-TV star will become the 45th president of the United States.


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