Democrats Hold the Senate: Both Chambers Blue, and New A's Board Turns With Them

It's a clean sweep in Washington. At 11:41 PM, NBC News projected that Democrats will control the Union's Senate, with 51 Democratic seats to 40 Republican so far and a net gain of 6 seats. Paired with the House, already projected for Democrats 124–75, the call hands both chambers of Congress to the party, and New A's site has turned blue for a Democratic Congress until the takeover ends.

The path ran through battlegrounds. Earlier tonight CBS News reported Democrats flipping Senate seats in North and South Carolina, their fourth battleground Senate win of the night. For a President sitting at 42% approval, the new map means a Congress with subpoena power and a say over every nominee he sends up.

The New A Stock Exchange read it immediately. On the Senate call, J.P. Morgan Chase slipped 0.5% and Bank of America 0.4%, traders bracing for confirmation fights over regulators. OP Gas fell 0.6% as climate rules look set to survive, Cray Industries dropped 0.5% on a defense spending review, and Juniors rose 0.5% on protected transit grants. Down at the Chase tower on Times Square, the mood was quieter than the emeralds suggested; JPMC is still up on the day.

For riders on the Metro, it is the money that matters. "Washington just stopped being a threat to the trains," said a commuter at Cocoa Street Station in Lower Man A. "Federal transit dollars and the congestion toll together — that's how you build a city." Out on Long Island, where Bruce Blakeman's base still waits to be counted, a West Island driver saw it differently: "Now nobody up there is going to check the toll."

Back home, the State race is long settled. Kathy Hochul has been called the winner, and with 79% reported statewide she leads Blakeman 60.9% to 39.1%, a margin of 21.8 points. Among the city boroughs, only The BX is in, at 90% with Hochul up 64.7. Man A, New BK, Long Island and New S still show zero on New A's board.

Tonight's verdict, from Albany's mirror to Washington: Democrats up and down the ballot, and a Governor who will have friends in both chambers.