Republicans On Course To Take Over Senate

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Video: Democrats Could Lose Senate Control

By Sky News US Team

The US Republicans are close to seizing control of the Senate in midterm elections shaped by President Barack Obama's unpopularity.

As results trickle in across the US, the conservatives are projected to have won five of the six seats they need to take from Democrats: West Virginia, Arkansas, South Dakota, Montana and Colorado.

The Democrats are also battling to hold on to Senate seats in Alaska, Louisiana, North Carolina, Iowa and Virginia.

The Republicans held on to Senate seats in Georgia and Kentucky, but Kansas remained too close to call.

Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell, who cruised to re-election, could become the new leader of the Senate.

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Gallery: Midterms: Election Day In America

Americans have been voting in the US midterm elections

Voters line up early in North Carolina

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Kentucky Senate candidate Mitch McConnell is photobombed in a voting booth

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Elections judge Constance Rolon, 96, hands out "I Voted!" stickers in Denver, Colorado

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He told cheering supporters as he captured a sixth term: "It's time to go in a new direction! It's time to turn this country around!"

But in a crucial win for President Obama's party, Senator Jeanne Shaheen was projected to have won re-election in New Hampshire.

Republicans, who already control the House of Representatives, are widely expected to pad their majority in that chamber, too.

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They are hoping to pick up 13 seats from the Democrats, which would be more than at any time since 1946.

Overall on Tuesday, 36 of the 100 Senate seats, all 435 House districts and 36 of 50 governors' seats are up for grabs.

Congressional races alone cost almost $4bn (£2.5bn), an unprecedented sum for a non-presidential year election.

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Gallery: Midterm Elections By The Numbers

Some 90 million voters, or about 40% of the electorate, are expected to cast ballots.

The House is expected to remain in Republicans' hands

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President Obama, who was shunned by many Democrats on the campaign trail because of his low approval rating, did not sound optimistic about his party's chances.

He told WNPR in Hartford, Connecticut: "In this election cycle, this is probably the worst possible group of states for Democrats since Dwight Eisenhower (the 1950s Republican president)."

Exit polls showed most of the Americans voting on Tuesday were unhappy or even angry with the Obama administration. There was also criticism of Republican congressional leaders.

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If the Republicans do seize control of both chambers of Congress, President Obama would have even less hope of passing bills for his remaining two years in office.

He would also face pressure to overhaul his White House team.

But even if they do control the Senate, the Republicans will not have the 60-vote super-majority needed to pass major legislation.

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It was expected to be a difficult election for President Obama's allies: governing parties tend to lose seats in midterm votes and many Democrats were defending seats in states that lean Republican.

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