Republicans on track to keep U.S. Senate majority

[NFA] Republicans appeared poised to retain control of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, after Senator Susan Collins defied political odds to win re-election in Maine and other Republican incumbents led Democrats in a handful of undecided races.

Colette Luke has the latest.

Republicans appeared poised to retain control of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday after their party held off Democratic challengers in some of the most competitive races.

Republican incumbents Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn and Joni Ernst fended off Democratic challenges in South Carolina, Texas and Iowa.

In Maine, Moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, viewed as one of the more vulnerable Republicans, fended off a very well-funded challenge and declared victory Wednesday afternoon.

Republican Senator Steve Daines defeated two-term Governor Steve Bullock, a former presidential candidate who branded himself as an independent-minded Democrat, while in Alabama, Democrat Doug Jones lost to Republican challenger and former football coach Tommy Tuberville.

There are more results to come.

In North Carolina, Republican incumbent Thom Tillis is leading against Democrat Cal Cunningham whose candidacy was tripped up by a sex scandal.

And in Georgia, first-term Republican Senator David Perdue, a wealthy businessman is hoping to beat Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, an investigative journalist and media executive and avoid a runoff if neither candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote.

The other Senate race in Georgia is heading to a run-off in January.

On Wednesday Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell – who also won re-election - said he wasn’t sure which party would control the Senate when all was said and done.

(Sen.

Mitch McConnell): “I am not sure if I’ll be an offensive or defensive coordinator yet.” Democrats had some wins, but not as many as they were hoping for.

Democrat John Hickenlooper won his race in Colorado while Democrat and former U.S. astronaut Mark Kelly in Arizona was declared the winner, beating Republican Senator Martha McSally, a former U.S. representative and U.S. Air Force combat pilot who was appointed to the seat once held by the late Republican Senator John McCain.