WASHINGTON : As Americans headed for the polls, pundits predicted that Republicans would likely snatch the Senate to leave President Barack Obama facing an opposition controlled Congress in his last two years in office. The Republicans who currently have a 233-199 lead in the 435- member House are expected to widen the gap in what at an estimated $4 billion is said to be the most expensive ‘mid-term’ election.

They are also confident, according to the New York Times, that they will gain at least six seats and take control of the Senate where Obama’s Democratic Party has a 53-45 majority with two Independents in the mix. But with several races too close to call, “likely runoffs in Georgia and Louisiana, along with late vote counts in Alaska, Colorado and Iowa, will mean Senate control may remain in doubt beyond Tuesday night,” it said.

The same could be true for governors’ races in Colorado, New Hampshire, Georgia and Florida, the Times said. ”Math is forbidding for Democrats in struggle for Senate,” wrote the influential Washington Post suggesting, “On the last day of the 2014 campaign, Democrats knew they were in trouble.”

“Long ago, the party had given up hope of winning back the House in Tuesday’s midterm elections. By Monday, it had skipped ahead to winning the post-election blame game,” it said. But Vice President Joe Biden insisted all was not lost. “I don’t agree with the oddsmakers,” he told CNN “I predict we’re gonna … keep the Senate.”

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Source: IANS