Republicans picked up at least two Senate seats on Tuesday night, putting them on a path to seize control of the chamber from Democrats after four years.
Senator Sherrod Brown, the Ohio Democrat who party leaders hoped could overcome the Republican tide in his solidly red state, was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by luxury car dealer Bernie Moreno. Mr. Brown’s loss came after Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia easily won the slot opened up by the retirement of Senator Joe Manchin III, who served most of his career in the Senate as a Democrat before becoming an independent earlier this year.
The two losses reversed the 51-to-49 majority held by Democrats, though a race in Nebraska where Republican Senator Deb Fischer faced a challenge from Independent Dan Osborn could still upend the map. Republicans stood to gain more seats given very tight races in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Top Republicans were confident that they had the minimum needed for the majority and were hoping for more by potentially posting wins in the other swing states.
“It would be great if we could win some of these seats that are up for grabs,” Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said early Tuesday on Fox News. “I think we’re in position to do that.”
Democrats did hold on to a seat in Maryland, where Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks defeated former Republican Governor Larry Hogan, becoming the first Black woman to represent the state in the Senate. In Delaware, Democratic Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is also Black, won an open seat, giving the Senate two Black women members for the first time.
Democrats were always going to be hard-pressed to hold on to their majority this year, since they were defending many seats in red and swing states. But they had continued to hold out hope that they could prevail if they could run the table and defend their embattled incumbents in states beyond West Virginia or score an upset and knock off a Republican incumbent.
Much of the focus was on Ohio and Montana, two Democratic-held states that were carried by former President Donald J. Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Mr. Brown, a progressive Democrat with strong labor union ties, emphasized abortion rights and federal aid he helped secure for his state but Mr. Moreno fought back, hitting the Democrat on immigration and transgender rights. Mr. Brown also had to contend with Mr. Trump’s popularity in the state.
Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, was considered even more endangered than Mr. Brown, running in a Western state that has grown increasingly Republican since he was first elected in 2006, one where Mr. Trump was expected to win handily. His Republican opponent was Tim Sheehy, a decorated former Navy Seal and businessman who has come under scrutiny for conflicting stories about how he received a bullet wound in his arm.
In Indiana, Representative Jim Banks, a Republican and former leader of a House conservative faction, was easily elected to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Senator Mike Braun, a Republican who ran for governor and won. Mr. Banks was considered a rising star in the House but decided to try to join the Senate after he lost an internal G.O.P. election for a leadership post.
Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who is seeking to become the Republican Senate leader, was also re-elected, overcoming a Democratic challenge while Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who polls showed in a close race with Democratic Representative Colin Allred, also appeared to be holding on, according to early results.
In Vermont, Senator Bernie Sanders, the 83-year-old independent and former presidential candidate aligned with Democrats, was elected to a fourth term.
Governor Justice, a former Democrat, was considered a shoo-in once he decided to jump in the race and Mr. Manchin announced he would not run.
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