Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won her re-election bid Saturday night, solidifying Democratic control of the chamber.
The Associated Press was among the outlets to call the race late Saturday for the incumbent against Republican challenger Adam Laxalt.
Cortez Masto’s campaign focused on supporting the right to abortion access and a permanent pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers.”
The first Latina in the Senate was considered the most vulnerable senator in the midterm elections, and Republicans had hopes of flipping her seat, but it was another disappointment for the GOP as a red wave never materialized.
Laxalt, a former state attorney general, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump – who has faced some criticism for his party’s underperformance at the polls. Laxalt’s campaign centered on rising inflation and blamed the struggling economy as the result of Democratic policies.
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With 97% of precincts reporting, Cortez Masto was leading with a slim 0.5% lead as of late Saturday. The difference is less than 5,000 votes.
Laxalt had been leading just one day before the race was called, but saw his edge dwindle as mail-in-votes were tallied. He and his team foresaw an impending loss Friday morning and were considering demanding a recount, an advisor said.
Cortez Masto’s win guarantees that the Senate will be controlled by Democrats for the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Cortez Masto tweeted a simple, “Thank you, Nevada!” after several media outlets called the race in her favor.
With Post wires
