Tag: U.S. Senate
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Senate expected to confirm at least two Biden Cabinet nominees this week
Senate confirmation votes are expected this week for two of President Joe Biden’s (D) Cabinet nominees: Tom Vilsack for secretary of agriculture on Feb. 23 and Linda Thomas-Greenfield for ambassador to the United Nations by Feb. 24. Vilsack previously served as the secretary of agriculture for eight years in the Obama administration. He was unanimously…
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Analyzing partisan splits in states holding U.S. Senate elections in 2022
Thirty-four Senate seats are up for election on November 8, 2022. Republicans currently hold 20 and Democrats hold 14. For seats up for election next year, we look at party differences between the current Senate incumbent and their state’s other senator, their state’s governor, and their state’s 2020 presidential winner. Split Senate delegations Seven states…
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U.S. Senate acquits former President Trump of incitement of insurrection
The U.S. Senate acquitted President Donald Trump (R) of incitement of insurrection on Feb. 13. All 50 Democrats and seven Republicans voted guilty. The other 43 Republicans voted not guilty. The seven Republicans to vote guilty were: ◦ Richard Burr (R-N.C.) ◦ Bill Cassidy (R-La.) ◦ Susan Collins (R-Maine) ◦ Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) ◦ Mitt…
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71 new members of Congress elected in 2020 election
Seventy-one new members were elected to the 117th U.S. Congress on Nov. 3, 2020, or in subsequent runoff elections: nine new senators and 62 new representatives. This includes Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), who died from complications related to COVID-19 on Dec. 29. The last race was called on Feb. 8, when the New York Board…
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Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.) will not seek re-election in 2022
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) announced on February 8, 2021, that he will not seek re-election in 2022. Shelby was first elected to the Senate in 1986. He switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1994. Shelby is the fourth senator to announce he won’t seek re-election in 2022, joining Republicans Richard Burr (N.C.),…
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An early look at the 2022 Senate elections
On November 8, 2022, 34 Senate seats will be up for election. These elections—along with any vacancies, special elections, or appointments that may occur in the meantime—will determine whether the Senate maintains a 50-50 partisan split with effective Democratic control, Democrats strengthen their majority, or Republicans take control of the chamber. Of the 34 Senate…
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Portman becomes fourth senator to announce he won’t seek re-election in 2022
On Jan. 25, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced that he would not seek another six-year term in the Senate when his term expires in 2022. In his statement announcing his decision, Portman said, “I am really looking forward to being home in Ohio full time, seeing family and friends more, and getting back to the…
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Senate confirms Lloyd Austin for secretary of defense
On January 22, 2021, the Senate confirmed retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of defense by a vote of 93-2. He will be the first Black secretary to lead the Department of Defense and the second member of President Joe Biden’s (D) Cabinet to be confirmed. Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Mike Lee…
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Senate confirms first Biden Cabinet nominee
The Senate confirmed Avril Haines as director of national intelligence on January 20, 2021, by a vote of 84-10. Haines previously served as an assistant to the president and principal deputy national security advisor during the Obama administration. Ten Republican senators voted against her confirmation: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) Sen. Ted…
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How many times has the U.S. Senate been split evenly between Democrats and Republicans?
After the winners of the Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs were sworn in on Jan. 20, the Democratic and Republican caucuses in the U.S. Senate were split 50-50. Vice President Kamala Harris (D) has the tie-breaking vote in the chamber. This is the fourth time in U.S. history the Senate has been split evenly. As a…