Balance of power in Senate undecided; Gary Peters re-elected in Michigan

Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The balance of power in the U.S. Senate was still up in the air on Wednesday, as both Democrats and Republicans have gained a seat and lost a seat.

Democrats picked up a seat in Colorado, where John Hickenlooper defeated incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner -- but lost Alabama, where GOP former college football coach Tommy Tuberville unseated incumbent Sen. Doug Jones.

By Wednesday evening, the count was 47 Democratic and independent seats, and 48 Republican seats, with five seats still outstanding in Alaska, Arizona, North Carolina and two in Georgia. The tally is based on projections by CNN, NBC News and CBS News.

Gary Peters won re-election in Michigan, gathering 49.6% of the vote to defeat Republican challenger John James who garnered 48.5% with at least 98% of votes counted, according to NBC News, CNN and Politico.

In Arizona, former NASA astronaut and Democrat Mark Kelly holds a lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally. The New York Times and Fox News have called the race for Kelly. Of all votes, more than 80% have been counted.

McSally was appointed to Sen. John McCain's old Senate seat after his death in 2018.

In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins declared victory Wednesday afternoon over Democratic challenger Sara Gideon in a close race that some predicted could be a Democratic pickup.

"I just received a very gracious call from Sara Gideon conceding the race," Collins said in a speech announcing her victory.

"Let me say what an extraordinary honor it is to represent the great state of Maine and to know that I will have the opportunity to serve all of Maine for the next six years," she told her supporters.

In North Carolina, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis was holding a slim lead in an effort to defend his seat against Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham with more than 90% counted.

If Republicans manage to hold on to both seats, it would increase the odds for the GOP holding on to the Senate for at least another two years.

Both of Georgia's two Senate races remained undecided, with one apparently headed for a January runoff.

With more than 90% of the vote counted, incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue leads challenger Jon Ossoff.

In the other, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Raphael Warnock were headed for a runoff after neither captured the 50% of votes needed to carry the seat. With more than 90% of the vote counted, Warnock leads and Loeffler is second.

One seat Democrats hoped to flip in South Carolina didn't happen, as incumbent Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham defeated Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison in an expensive race.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, the party's leader in the Senate, handily beat Democratic challenger Amy McGrath in a race experts thought was going to be much closer.

In Iowa, Republican incumbent Joni Ernst defeated Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield in another race the Democrats had their eye on.