Democrats take Senate majority, sealing control of the White House and Congress

Democrats took control of the Senate on Wednesday when three new members of the party were sworn in, giving a boost to President Joe Biden’s ambitions in the White House.

The party now controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress.

Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California took office, bringing the Senate party split to 50-50. Newly inaugurated Vice President Kamala Harris, who will hold the chamber’s tiebreaking vote, briefly presided over the chamber and swore in the three senators. She laughed when she read a message describing her own resignation, quipping, “That was very weird.”