New Democratic Senators Mean Biden Takes Control From Day One
- Three new Democratic senators expected to take oath Wednesday
- Simple majority needed to confirm nominees, act on some bills
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Democrats are set to take control of the Senate Wednesday with the swearing in of three new senators, but President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet and agenda still are likely to take days or weeks to get off the ground.
The Senate majority will flip after Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, the winners of Georgia’s runoffs, and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s appointed replacement, are sworn in. All three are expected to take their oaths on Wednesday after Biden’s inauguration, according to two people familiar with the plans.