Democrats, Republicans share control of U.S. Congress

As the U.S. midterm elections enter early Wednesday, it is almost certain that the Democratic Party has retaken the House of Representatives and the Republicans will hold onto Senate.

With four Senate seats and dozens of House seats still in contest, U.S. media outlets widely projected the Democratic Party will gain control of the House of Representatives and the Republican Party will solidify its grip on Senate.

Given the outstanding races, the Democratic and the Republican Parties are both expected to expand their advantages in the chamber where they enjoy majority.

The Republican Party currently holds 51 seats in the Senate, reaching pre-election levels. It is highly likely that it will pick up at least one more Senate seat from the states of Montana, Mississippi or Florida, allowing it to build a bigger edge against the Democratic Party in the upper chamber of Congress.

The GOP successfully peeled off at least three vulnerable Democratic seats in the states of Missouri, Indiana and North Dakota, quelling the little if any hope the Democrats had for taking Senate. But the GOP has also lost a Senate seat representing Nevada to a Democratic challenger.

The Democratic Party has secured 218 seats in the House, and is looking to pick up more seats from the Republicans, allowing itself a comfortable lead over the Republicans.

Some of the states where Democrats finished strong include Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia.

The Democrats' success had been widely anticipated by pre-voting polls, though the magnitude of the so-called "blue wave" is yet to be measured.

The split result gave both parties reason to celebrate. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that the election was a "tremendous success," while the leader of House Democrats Nancy Pelosi pledged to exercise "checks and balances" on the Trump administration.

Regaining control of the lower chamber of Congress gives the Democrats greater sway in legislative issues, as they are expected to undermine policies pushed by the Trump administration, such as Medicare and immigration reform.

On the other hand, the Republicans can confirm government officials such as Supreme Court justices or cabinet members with more ease thanks to their bolstered Senate majority.

In the 36 gubernatorial races across the country, the Democratic Party flipped multiple states, including Kansas, New Mexico, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin, reaching near equal numbers as the Republicans, who currently hold 33 of the nation's 50 governorships.

The political polarization in recent years has energized voters in both camps, as early voting numbers and the financial donations given to both political parties and their nominees shattered records.