Election Night Guide: The races that will decide Senate control

This transcript was produced with AI technology that converts speech to text. The text is not always reviewed or edited by Reuters journalists and some errors may occur.

Democrats have more chances to win a Senate majority than would have in been expected early this year, with seats in normally Republican-leaning states, including Texas, Iowa, and Kansas, seen as at least are plausibly competitive for them, but by no means will it be a Cape Walk. First indications will come after 7 p.m. when polls close in South Carolina. The race there is for Lindsey Graham Graham's former seat in the Senate South Carolina is a heavily Republican state and wouldn't normally be seen as in reach for Democrats at all. However, his sister, Darlene Graham, a newcomer to politics. Is seeking the seat, and Democrats are seen as at least having a chance there. If early results there show the race that could be a good sign for Democrats heading into the... Rest of the night. Next up, 7.30, polls close in North Carolina. There, Democrats are favored to pick up Former Governor Roy Cooper is the candidate, and he's seen as having a very... Strong chance of winning. This would be Democrats first pick up on the night, a night that they must win at least a net four seats for a Senate majority. Into the more complicated and more competitive races, 8 p.m. There's a pair of poll closings in Michigan and Maine. Both of these are critical seats. Both of them have become complex. There's been some problems with candidates, and both could take some time to see results on. In Maine in particular, Maine is a state that uses ranked choice voting, and it could take hours. If not days to know the outcome that's another seat the Democrats are seen is really needing to pick up if they're going to have a plausible path to a majority likewise Michigan has become more complicated in the race's final days, with former Senate candidate Haley Stevens deciding to endorse the Republican in the race, Mike Rogers, over the Democrats. Candidate Abdul El-Say That could have an effect That's a seat that would be a hold for Democrats, one that they cannot afford to lose if they're going to win a majority. After that, we get into the more complicated, more complex, and more competitive seats. Races where Democrats will really need to run a near-perfect night to have a whole... Of winning a majority. 9 P.m., polls close in Texas. Democrats think they have a pretty good chance there, but it must be said that in the last several U.S. Senate cycles in Texas... Texas, Democrats have thought they had a chance there only to fall flat. It's a heavily Republican state, but a Democratic win there would be one, a major show of energy on the party's behalf. And two, make it a lot more easier and a lot more plausible for them to win a Senate majority. Beyond Texas, they get into even further afield states, including Kansas and Iowa. Both heavily Republican, neither traditionally has really been competitive for Democrats in quite some time. But on a big night, on a night with a lot of national energy, they are seen as in play. Finally, Alaska, the linchpin of it all. Polls don't close there until midnight East Coast time. There's been a lot of complexity in that race, a lot of debate. About the republican incumbent and a challenger to him who has the same name there's going to be legal battles there alaska also uses ranked choice voting it could be hours if not days before Alaska is called and that race could very well be the race that both parties Senate hopes hang on. It could quite easily take... Days before the control of the Senate is clear. A lot of these races are going to be close. Close races take a long time to project winners in. Likewise, Maine, Alaska, critical Races both use ranked choice voting. That extends the counting period. We may also see a wave of legal challenges to races. All of that means more time. More delay. The other thing that's important to note is the math. Democrats need 51 of the Senate's 100 seats for a majority. Republicans can do it with just 50 thanks to JD Vance's tie-breaking vote. [This transcript was produced with AI technology that converts speech to text. The text is not reviewed or edited by Reuters journalists and some errors may occur.]