WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly has won the Indiana Senate race, giving Democrats their first pickup of a Republican Senate seat. Republicans have now lost two Senate seats, including a Maine seat won by independent Angus King.

Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch also won re-election in Utah.

Donnelly captured the seat after Republican state Treasurer Richard Mourdock rode an anti-incumbent, tea party wave in Indiana to defeat longtime Sen. Richard Lugar in a GOP primary earlier this year.

Donnelly’s win strengthens Democrats’ hopes of holding on to the Senate. As of 10 p.m. Eastern time, Democrats had locked up 43 Senate seats, and Republicans had 42. That tally includes 67 sets not up for election. Democrats now hold a 53-seat majority, including two independents who align with them.


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