Donald Trump will return to the White House with a Senate Republican majority that is larger than the start of his first term and friendlier to him overall, a combination that gives him a powerful advantage to filling his Cabinet and other positions.
There’s a high likelihood that Republicans will have a 53-seat majority when they start the confirmation process for Trump appointees in the next Congress, which means at least four Republicans would have to join all Democrats and independents to stop a confirmation.
That’s an additional cushion from the 52-seat majority Trump had in 2017. And the Senate won’t include some of the more moderate GOP senators who pushed back on Trump’s nominees and legislative desires — Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Mitt Romney of Utah, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona.
