Democrats maintained their control over the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, picking up seats in both houses of Congress Tuesday.
They gained at least five seats in the Senate, with four elections too close to call as of press time, and control of the House with a 237-152 majority, with 46 seats yet to be determined.
Democrats picked up five Senate seats from Republicans after winning races in Colorado, New Mexico, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia. Contests in Oregon, Alaska, Georgia and Minnesota were still too close to call.
In elections for the House of Representatives, Democrats had a net gain of 14 seats.
According to UW-Madison political science professor David Canon, economic issues and frustration with the Republican Party led to trouble for many incumbent candidates.
It's a pretty awful year to be running as a Republican,"" he said. ""All the Republican incumbents who were seen as vulnerable definitely had very tough chances of hanging onto their seats.""
Canon said the relationship between President-elect Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress would be a successful one. Although the financial crisis will force other issues to the backburner, he thinks the executive and legislative branches will work toward policy changes on health care, energy policy and the Iraq War.
Combined with Obama's victory, Democrats will control the legislative agenda. Canon said there will be very few ways for Republicans to counter their power.
""The filibuster really is the last thing they would be able to do,"" he said, as Democrats are unlikely to gain the filibuster-proof majority of 60 seats in the Senate.
For Democrats to gain that majority, they would need to win over the Republican incumbents in the remaining four elections where no winners have been declared.
