### Republicans Poised for Senate Control; Abortion Rights See Mixed Results Nationwide

The Republican Party is on the verge of taking control of the Senate for the first time since 2021. This comes as the election for GOP leader is set to take place next week, with three candidates competing for the position.

While Republicans are confidently defending their narrow majority in the House of Representatives, the overall control is yet to be officially determined. Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP members remain optimistic about retaining the House. Meanwhile, high-profile Trump ally Abe Hamadeh is projected by CNN to win Arizona's 8th Congressional District, a safe Republican seat. Hamadeh, a former Army intelligence officer and prosecutor, has strongly voiced support for Donald Trump's policies, particularly regarding border security and the controversial claims about the 2020 election.

Apart from Arizona, voters across the country have cast ballots on abortion rights amendments in several states. Notably, measures aimed at protecting abortion access have passed in Arizona and Missouri, effectively overturning existing state-level abortion bans. Similar measures have also succeeded in Colorado, New York, Maryland, Montana, and Nevada, promising to either cement or expand abortion rights. However, efforts to protect abortion rights failed in Florida and South Dakota, where the procedure remains heavily restricted.

Nebraska has seen a significant division in abortion-related measures. Voters approved an amendment to enshrine the state's 12-week abortion ban in the constitution, with exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies. Conversely, a competing measure to protect the right to an abortion until viability or to safeguard the health of the pregnant woman was rejected.

Both the House GOP and Democrats are scheduled for virtual briefings on the election results, with Republican leaders meeting Thursday at 11 a.m. ET and Democrats at noon ET. Despite many races still uncalled and outcomes potentially pending for days or even weeks, insiders from both parties currently lean towards a conclusion that Republicans will likely maintain control of the House. According to GOP campaign officials, the main question now revolves around the extent of their majority.