'US Senate' Republican Leader McConnell Wins 7th Term... Graham Also Retains Congressional Seat

Republican Cory Gardner, Senate East Asia and Pacific Committee Chair, Defeated

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 3rd (local time), Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, succeeded in winning his 7th term in the Senate election held alongside the presidential election. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump and Republican Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, retained his seat, while Cory Gardner, Republican Chairman of the Senate East Asia and Pacific Affairs Committee, was defeated.

According to AP News and others, McConnell, whose constituency is Kentucky, defeated Democratic candidate Amy McGrath, a former Marine pilot, securing his 7th term. Although McGrath raised more campaign funds than McConnell, she was unable to create an upset.

McConnell was a figure who stood by President Trump during the impeachment trial in the Senate, defending him. He is also the longest-serving Republican Senate Majority Leader in history.

Graham (South Carolina) also defeated Democratic candidate Jaime Harrison to win his 4th term. Until just before the election, Harrison was expected to have a high chance of winning due to record-breaking campaign funds, but ultimately the voters sided with Graham. He recently focused all efforts on the swift confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, the federal Supreme Court nominee appointed by President Trump, appealing to conservative voters.

Gardner, whose constituency is Colorado, was defeated by former Governor John Hickenlooper. AP explained that Colorado has been a progressive-leaning area since Gardner became a senator in 2014. Therefore, his defeat in this election was anticipated. Gardner, known for his hardline stance on North Korea, is also a frequent contact for Korean political figures visiting the U.S.

Senators serve six-year terms, and this election targeted 35 seats out of 100, including 23 Republican and 12 Democratic seats. Currently, the Senate is composed of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. The U.S. House of Representatives also elected all 435 members on the same day. Fox News reported that the Democrats, who held 233 seats, are expected to maintain their majority.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.