US midterm elections: Obama faces full Republican majority in Congress

Americans worried by slow economic recovery and global threats such as Ebola outbreak and the rise of Islamic State voted for major change in the midterm elections.

The Republicans took full control of the two houses of Congress, seizing seven Senate seats, including two off incumbent Democrats, and boosting their majority in the House of Representatives.

That leaves President Barack Obama in his final two years in the White House facing the full weight of his political opponents.

The Republican wins in the Senate ranged from West Virginia to Colorado, while the Democrats are without a majority in either chamber for the first time since 2006.

Among highlights were:

• Colorado, where Representative Cory Gardner upset Democratic incumbent Mark Udall to move into the Senate.

• In Arkansas, another Representative, Tom Cotton, defeated incumbent Mark Pryor by a wide margin.

• North Carolina’s House Speaker Thom Tillis defeated incumbent Kay Hagan and the Republicans won an open seat in Iowa, where Joni Ernst defeated Representative Bruce Braley.

• Republicans held on to a Senate seat in Kansas and took open seats in Georgia and South Dakota.

Outside of Washington, Republicans rolled up victories in most top-tier governors’ races. Governors Rick Scott (Florida), Rick Snyder (Michigan) and Scott Walker (Wisconsin) all won, while Bruce Rauner defeated the Democrats’ Pat Quinn in Illinois.

Pennsylvania provided an upset against the Republicans with Tom Wolf tipping out Tom Corbett. But the Republicans also scored wins in Massachusetts and Maryland, both normally Democratic states.

The elections sets several records, including the biggest number of Republicans in Congress since 1946 and the first defeat of more than two Democratic incumbent senators since 1980.

The result raises the possibility of ending a political gridlock that has lasted since 2010, when Republicans won a House majority.

Crucial to this will be the new Republican majority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, 72, a formidable negotiator who helped end the fiscal impasses in recent years.

In his final two years, President Obama will be under pressure to negotiate with Republicans for deals involving taxes, trade and energy. Other issues include an overhaul of the immigration system, easing regulations on business and overhauling the federal tax code.

Faster US economic growth, stronger job creation and the lowest federal budget deficit since before the global financial crisis have eased earlier problems over government finances.