The Drudge Report early Tuesday night reported results from exit polls that indicated Republicans will win more than 50 seats in the House while capturing another 7 in the Senate.
That gives them control of the House but keeps the Senate in Democratic hands.
Republicans gained a Senate seat in Indiana, and tea party favorite Rand Paul coasted to victory in Kentucky in midterm elections Tuesday night, first fruits of a drive to break the Democrats' grip on power in Congress.
Republicans also led for four House seats in Democratic hands and projected confidence they would succeed in winning a majority and installing Rep. John Boehner of Ohio as speaker.
All 435 seats in the House were on the ballot, plus 37 in the Senate in an election shadowed by recession and stirred by a rebellion of tea party conservatives.
An additional 37 governors' races gave Republicans ample opportunity for further gains halfway through President Barack Obama's term.
Former Sen. Dan Coats easily dispatched Rep. Brad Ellsworth in Indiana to win back the seat he voluntarily gave up a dozen years ago.
In Kentucky, where Paul was making his first run for political office, he prevailed over Democrat Jack Conway.
In next-door Ohio, former Bush administration official Rob Portman held a Senate seat for the Republicans with ease.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.