Republicans hold the Senate

Senate Republicans Tuesday defied the odds and clung to their majority after a hard-fought election that many predicted would push them back into the minority after a brief two years controlling the gavel.

The victory likely ensures the political survival of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is expected to seek to maintain his post as majority.

And GOP Senate control will put Republicans in a better position to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat with a conservative, given Donald Trump's suprised projected victory over Hillary Clinton.

Republicans pulled off what was thought to be an almost impossible task: run in 34 races, and not lose more than a handful of them. But as of early Wednesday morning, Republicans lost just one seat in Illinois, and managed to steal wins in states that many thought they would lose.

That includes Sen. Ron Johnson's race in Wisconsin, Todd Young's race in Indiana, Roy Blunt's in Missouri and Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania.