US election: Democrats lead in Texas and are poised to take Senate

As votes are counted in the US elections, the Democrats' advantage is becoming ever more apparent: in Texas, a longtime Republican stronghold, their candidate Talarico has 58% with almost 40% of ballots processed, while Trump's close ally Paxton has just 40%. The New York Times indicator puts the Democrats' chances of taking control of the Senate at 95%.

Republicans are losing ground even at home

The Senate race in Texas is one of the most closely watched. It is the country's second most populous state, and Republicans have long considered it safe. For now, the Senate seats in Kentucky and Oklahoma are staying with them, as expected, but the overall picture from the count is working against Trump's party.

Of the nine Senate races in which Democrats were seen as clear favorites, they have already won eight. Oregon on the West Coast remains, and the result there will take time. The media have also provisionally called several other races: Wyoming for the Republicans, Colorado and New Mexico for the Democrats.

Strong showing for the party's left wing

The results so far confirm the strength of the Democrats' left wing, including democratic socialists, and of the Black women candidates who represent that movement. Angie Nixon lost the Senate race in Florida by only a narrow margin, in a state where polls gave Democrats no real chance of success at all.

Trump has no public events scheduled

President Trump has not scheduled a single public event for Wednesday, which is unusual, CNN notes. His predecessors, George W. Bush, Obama and Biden, as well as Trump himself in 2018, all held a press conference the day after their party's defeat. The current president's schedule lists only unspecified “political meetings” that are closed to the press.

Most polling stations in the US have already closed, but the election results are far from final.

Earlier on this topic: US Senate elections: live results. Democrats flip North Carolina

Around Prague, based on reporting by denikn.cz