January showdown for Senate?

The battle for control of the Senate – crucial for whoever wins the White House – remains in the balance, with the parties tied at 48-48, one contest is heading to a runoff, and three others are yet to be called. 

The Democrats had been confident of winning a majority, but the party's hopes are dwindling. Cal Cunningham trails incumbent Republican Thom Tillis in North Carolina, and in slow-counting Alaska, the Republican holds a healthy lead. 

That likely puts control of the Senate in Georgia's hands: both races in the state are likely to go to runoff elections on January 5, with no candidate expected to surpass 50 percent in Tuesday's elections. 

Read more: Why the Senate could make or break the next president