President Joe Biden addressed the nation and reporters on Wednesday as voters waited to learn which party would control Congress.
Republicans were inching closer to securing control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
By Wednesday evening, The Associated Press had called 204 House races for Republicans and 176 for Democrats. Either party would need 218 seats to control the House.
The Senate was also up for grabs, and control may not be determined until December.
It was announced that the U.S. Senate race in Georgia would go to a runoff election after neither Sen. Raphael Warnock nor Herschel Walker received 50% of the vote.
While Republicans may still end up controlling both chambers, they failed to produce a so-called "red wave."
Democrats held many battleground seats that Republicans were hoping to pick up.
Biden spent the final days of the election cycle campaigning across the country. He made multiple stops in Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman was projected to pick up a Senate seat for the Democrats.
He also visited New Mexico, where Democrats were poised to sweep all statewide races.
As the Associated Press reported, President Biden claimed vindication the day after the elections, saying Democrats had “a strong night” and he planned to change nothing about his approach despite facing the likelihood of divided government in the nation’s capital.
“I’m prepared to work with my Republican colleagues,” Biden said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
“The American people have made clear they expect Republicans to work with me as well," he said.
He brushed off concerns that Republicans, who are on track to take control of the House, will investigate his administration and family in what could swiftly become a bruising stretch of his presidency.
“I think the American people will look at all that for what it is, almost comedy,” he said.
The White House said later Wednesday that Biden had spoken by phone with Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is in line to become House speaker if Republicans win the majority.
