The battle for Congress remains up in the air, with vote counting still underway in numerous states and a final determination whether Democrats or Republicans secure a majority in one or both houses potentially still weeks away.

As of Wednesday, the outcomes of Senate races in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada and 53 houses races in various states were still unknown, according to the New York Times and other websites tracking election results.

What is clear from results in Virginia and across the country, the red tide that was supposed to give Republicans control of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate did not materialize, according to a wide array of analysts.

That’s a big win for President Biden. According to election data, first-term presidents with low approval ratings generally see their party lose 20 to 40 seats in the house and five to 10 seats in the Senate, but this year Republicans appear likely to have far smaller gains, if they gain at all.

The Old Dominion, where the tallies are virtually done, is an example. Republicans went into the election with high hopes of picking up three House seats held by Democrats.

Instead, Republicans gained only one seat, as a result of Republican State Sen. Jen Kiggans’ defeat of incumbent Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in the 2nd Congressional District anchored by Virginia Beach.

With preliminary votes showing 291,000 votes cast, Sen. Kiggans, a former Navy pilot and nurse practitioner, was the choice of 52 percent of voters and Rep. Luria, a former Navy commander, the choice of 48 percent.

In Richmond and elsewhere across the state, the remaining six Democratic incumbents and four Republican incumbents retained their seats. That includes 7th District Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who won 52 percent of the vote and beat back a determined challenge from Donald Trump-supported Republican Yesli Vega, a supervisor in Prince William County who said before the vote that God had ordained her victory.

As anticipated, both Black members of the Virginia delegation won re-election.

Fourth District Rep. A. Donald McEachin, 61, won 65 percent of the vote in the Richmond-Petersburg area to easily win a re-match with his Republican challenger, the Rev. Leon Benjamin, and secure his fourth two-year term.

In a statement, Rep. McEachin thanked voters for “their confidence in me” and pledged to remain dedicated and vigilant in fighting for Virginian’s priorities and values. “I will continue to work each and every day for a stronger economy, good-paying jobs and a lower cost of living. I will fight for women’s reproductive rights, human rights, reasonable gun safety laws, the protection of our democracy and the preservation of our planet.”

Meanwhile, in the 3rd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, 75, of Newport News won his 16th term. He won 67 percent of the vote to defeat his younger Republican challenger, Terry Namkung.

Much of the post-election focus is on the U.S. Senate, which is the big prize, given the party that holds the majority has a major influence on appointments to the federal judiciary and other federal posts.

Before the election the Senate was split 50-50 with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris enabling her party to hold the majority as the tie-breaker.

As of Wednesday, as unofficial results in most of the 35 races became known, Democrats and their two independent allies appeared likely to control 48 seats and Republicans 49 seats, with three races outstanding.

Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly continues to lead in Arizona, Democratic incumbent Senator Catherine Cortez Masto trails in Nevada and Democratic incumbent Sen. Ralph Warnock is headed to a runoff election on Tuesday, Dec. 6, with Republican

challenger Herschel Walker to decide the Georgia winner.

As for the 435-member House, the final outcome is still in flux. Democrats went into the election with 222 House seats to 212 for Republicans and three vacancies. A majority requires 218 seats.

At Free Press deadline, 206 House seats had been called for Republicans and 176 had been called for Democrats.