Who controls the Senate? Breaking down the party division in the 118th US Congress.

Olivia Munson, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
3
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The 118th United States Congress began its session on Jan. 3, 2023. In the 2022 midterm elections, the Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives. This is the first time since the 115th Congress that Republicans have the majority in the House.

But what about the Senate? Who has control over the Senate? Here is what you need to know about the Senate of the 118th United States Congress.

Who controls the Senate?

In the 118th United States Congress, Democrats have majority control of the Senate.

Of the 100 seats in the Senate, 48 are held by Democrats. Republicans have 49 seats.

Sen. John Fetterman flipped an open Pennsylvania seat in favor of the Democrats against Republican candidate Mehmet Oz. Additionally, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock won reelection when he defeated Republican candidate Herschel Walker in the Georgia runoff election.

Three independents are in the Senate: Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Angus King of Maine and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Sanders and King caucus with the Democrats and Sinema has said she won’t caucus with Senate Republicans. So, the Democrats still hold the majority.

Who controls the House? Get to know the balance of power in the 118th Congress

Who is the president of the Senate?

The president of the Senate is Vice President Kamala Harris. According to the Constitution, it is the vice president's job to preside over the Senate.

The president pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the Senate. They fill in the position of president in case of absence. The current president pro tempore is Patty Murray of Washington.

The president of the Senate is Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president of the Senate is Vice President Kamala Harris.

What are the three branches of government? Executive, Judicial, Legislative branches explained.

Who is the Senate majority leader?

The Senate majority leader is Chuck Schumer of New York. He has held the position since Jan. 20, 2021.

Schumer is also the chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters after meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on November 29, 2022, in Washington, DC.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters after meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on November 29, 2022, in Washington, DC.

Just curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "What are the requirements to be president?" to "Who's running for president?" to "Is Election Day a federal holiday?" − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who controls the Senate? Helping to understand the balance of power