STATE OF PLAY: Blue wave sweeps Democrats into power, with key races still hanging in balance

Democrats decisively recaptured majorities in the House and Senate in the midterm elections, riding a blue wave that exceeded expectations.

But with Tuesday turning into Wednesday, and a handful of high profile races still to be called, the big question remaining is whether the already formidable Democratic congressional majorities keep growing.

In the battle for the Senate, Democrats stormed to the majority by flipping GOP-held seats in Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina, while successfully defending open seats in Michigan and New Hampshire.

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Meanwhile, Senate races for three GOP-held seats were still too close to call.

In Mississippi, Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom appeared deadlocked. In Alaska, Democratic challenger former Rep. Mary Peltola was leading GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan with votes still being counted. 

In the battle for the House, thanks to the stunning blue tsunami, Democrats cleared the 218-seat threshold needed to recapture the chamber.

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But with plenty of races still outstanding, the big question is just how large a majority will Democrats end up with when all the votes are counted.

In gubernatorial showdowns, a very competitive race in Nevada had yet to be called, and votes were still being counted in Alaska and Kansas governors races as well.

The results amounted to a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump and the GOP.

"The American people reduced the red brick wall to a pile of bricks," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters.

And looking ahead to January, when the new Congress gets to work, Schumer said, "We have five words for the American people. Relief is on the way."

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said, "As we head into 2027, Senate Republicans will not stand idly by as the far-left, socialist wing of the Democratic Party attempts to unwind everything we’ve done."

Thune, said that Senate Republicans will work with Trump "to stop the worst impulses of Democrat extremism. We cannot let their fringe positions become the mainstream."

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Trump spent the past two months repeatedly stressing to supporters to "pretend I’m on the ballot," as he tried to energize the Republican base.

But as the results were pouring in on Tuesday night, the president took to social media to argue, "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!"

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Minutes later, the president, in an interview on Fox News with anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, complimented the opposition party, saying, "I think the Democrats did a good job."

And pointing to the incoming Democratic congressional majorities, Trump added, "I can work with them on many things."

Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News