Rep. Shelley Moore Capito flipped West Virginia’s open Senate seat to GOP control on Tuesday, crushing opponent and West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant in an election that got away from Democrats.
Capito, who will become West Virginia’s first female U.S. senator, took the pivotal first step in Republicans taking back the upper chamber. CNN called the race at 7:30 p.m., right when polls closed.
Republicans need a net gain of six Senate seats to regain the majority.
The West Virginia race was originally viewed as a competitive contest, but Capito, the daughter of former West Virginia Gov. Arch Moore, pulled away long before Election Day.
Capito will fill the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller, already changing the dynamic in the upper chamber on a night when Republicans are expected to see major gains.
The House lawmaker will join centrist Democrat Joe Manchin in representing West Virginia in the Senate.
