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.”

The narrow Democratic majority will help Biden as he tries to fill out his Cabinet and pass an agenda headlined by a coronavirus relief package. Though Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats will decide what the Senate pursues, they face a challenge in finding Republican support to pass most legislation.

“We have a lengthy agenda, and we need to get it done together. ... This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate,” Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader.

The New York Democrat said the Democratic Senate will “do business differently,” moving to address coronavirus relief, systemic racism and climate change.

Speaking after Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said “I congratulate my friend from Delaware and look forward to working with him as our new president wherever possible.” He noted that the election left Democrats with narrow majorities in both the Senate and House, interpreting it as a signal that voters did not endorse sweeping change.