Midterm election results updates: Dems keep control of Senate with Nevada win
Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada clinched the chamber for Democrats.
The 2022 midterm elections shaped up to be some of the most consequential in the nation's recent history, with control of Congress at stake.
All 435 seats in the House and 35 of 100 seats in the Senate were on the ballot, as well as several influential gubernatorial elections in battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Democrats were defending their narrow majorities in both chambers and retained control of the Senate, though control of the House isn't yet clear. But a Republican flip of the lower chamber would be enough to curtail most of President Joe Biden's legislative agenda and would likely result in investigations against his administration and even his family.
Key updates:
McCarthy announces 'transition teams' despite incomplete results
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday announced "transition teams" for the new Congress, even though which party will control the chamber is still unclear as counting continues in several key races.
The teams will be led by House Minority Whip Steve Scalise as well as Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Rep. Bryan Steil.
"The House Republican majority is getting right to work," McCarthy said in a press announcement. "These Transition Teams will ensure we hit the ground running on issues that Democrats have ignored or made worse for the American people under one-party rule, all while shutting out our fellow citizens from the People's House."
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Mitt Romney cautions GOP there are 'two roads' available post-midterms
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, is looking ahead to a possible Republican majority in Congress and urging his colleagues to find commonsense, bipartisan reforms.
Without naming Donald Trump, his brand of politics, and particularly his allies in Congress, Romney in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal called on his party to essentially embark on a new path.
"Robert Frost and politics don't really mix, but his famous allegory is apt: Two roads diverge before this potential GOP majority," Romney wrote. "The one 'less travelled by' would be to pass bills that would make things better for the American people. The more tempting and historically more frequented road would be to pursue pointless investigations, messaging bills, threats and government shutdowns. The road we choose could make 'all the difference.'"
Romney called for his party to back bipartisan deals on inflation, immigration and election integrity. On the latter issue, Romney warned: "While authoritarians in Russia and China are advertising an alternative to government of, by and for the people, spouting evidence-free claims of election fraud is stupidly self-defeating and despicable."
"Two roads are available. I hope Congress and the White House engage to make a difference rather than to make more noise," the senator concluded.
-ABC News' Trish Turner
Biden urges bipartisanship but draws some red lines on abortion, Social Security
Taking the stage at a Democratic National Committee event, President Joe Biden continued to call for bipartisanship but made it clear he would veto Republican attempts to ban abortion or cut social programs like Social Security.
As of Thursday afternoon, the balance of power in the House and Senate was still up in the air. Democrats could lose majority control of both chambers.
"The American people sent a message that they want us to work together," Biden said.
"Folks, I'll always welcome any good ideas, whether it's Democrat or Republican, to move the country forward," Biden said, before going on to list potential legislative efforts by a GOP majority that he would block.
"But I've also made it really clear that Republicans tried to repeal the power we just gave Medicare to reduce prescription costs, I will veto it," he said. "If Republicans try to walk away from the historic commitment we just made to deal with the climate crisis, I will not let that happen. If Republicans try to cut Social Security or Medicare, I will not let that happen."
50,000 ballots left to be counted in Clark County, Nevada
In Clark County, Nevada, 50,000 ballots still need to be counted, according to county registrar of voters Joe Gloria.
“Over the course of the next three days we'll get them into the system,” he said.
“We will report again Friday night and then report again Saturday night. At that point we expect the majority of the ballots to be tabulated,” he said.
-ABC News’ Abby Cruz