Republicans won control of the Senate in the US midterm elections.
The victory gives the Republicans momentum heading into the 2016 presidential race, which will become the focus of American politics for the next two years.
With the 2014 midterm elections behind them, lawmakers will now return to the work of running the country. But they will do it with a very different looking congress. For the next two, years the Republicans will control both houses. Leaders from both the Republicans and the Democrats parties spoke about the future.
"To everyone that voted, I want you to know that I heard you. To the 2/3 of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too," President Barack Obama said.
The empire state building turned red as the results of the 2014 midterm elections trickled in, signaling a massive shift in the balance of power.
"Proud to announce this morning that GOP at all time high both in number chambers and seats," Republican governor of Puerto Rico Lius Fortuna said.
President Obama will meet with bipartisan congressional leaders on Friday afternoon to map out the legislative terrain for the next two years.
Democrats meanwhile are left trying to find the bright side in a brutal defeat.
"Number one: this was a wave election. In 2006, when it was a wave against the Republicans, they lost 30 seats; in 2010, a wave against us, we lost 63 seats. This wave election we contained the losses to about 15 seats," Democrat congressman Steve Israel said.
The shift in power could make Obama’s last two years in office a challenge. But he and other democratic lawmakers say they are eager to get back to work.
"Congress will pass some bill I cannot sign; I’m pretty sure I’ll take some actions some in congress will not like, that’s natural, that’s how democracy works, but we can surely find ways to work together on issues where there is broad agreement among the American people," Obama said