As Friday deadline approached for Weapons Complex Monitor, the Associated Press had not declared a winner in the presidential election between President Donald Trump (R) and the former vice president, Joe Biden (D).
Biden was leading in electoral votes. Whomever is declared president-elect an intense legal challenge is expected, according to media outlets.
While a few states were still counting votes in congressional races, Democrats looked on track to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives, but the race to win the Senate was neck and neck, though the Republicans seemed to have a slight edge in the counts available at deadline, as they look to maintain their thin majority in the chamber.
Overall though, most congressional contests had been decided at deadline. There were few surprises — most incumbents hung on, as they typically do — but there were also a few open seats in states and districts that include Department of Energy defense-nuclear sites. That means a few new faces and, in the case of a New Mexico congressman who is now a U.S. Senator-elect, a few new-old faces.
Here’s our run down.
Department of Energy
HOUSE
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash), incumbent. WA-4, Hanford Site, DOE Environmental Management.
Cliff Bentz (R), challenger. OR-2 Hanford Site, DOE Environmental Management. Bentz won an open seat from retirement of Rep. Greg Walden (R).
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), incumbent. ID-2, Idaho National Laboratory, DOE Environmental Management.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), incumbent. MO-5, Kansas City National Security Campus, National Nuclear Security Administration.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), incumbent. CA-15, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories California, National Nuclear Security Administration.
NEW FACE. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D), challenger. NM-3, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Nuclear Security Administration (with DOE Environmental Management). Incumbent Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) is vacating the seat and won election to the U.S. Senate for New Mexico. He will replace Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), who is retiring.
Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), incumbent, UT-3, Moab Tailings Project, DOE Environmental Management.
UNDECIDED. NV-4, Nevada National Security Site, National Nuclear Security Administration. Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) led challenger Dan Rodimer (R) at deadline.
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), incumbent. KY-1, Paducah Site, DOE Environmental Management.
Ronny Jackson (R), challenger. TX-13, Pantex Plant, National Nuclear Security Administration. Jackson defeated a Democratic challenger for the seat being vacated by the longtime leader of Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mac Thornberry (D-Texas). Thornberry is retiring.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), incumbent, OH-2, Portsmouth Site, DOE Environmental Management.
Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), incumbent. NM-1, Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque (main Sandia campus), National Nuclear Security Administration. DOE Albuquerque Office.
UNDECIDED: Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), incumbent, and challenger Christy Smith (D), CA-25, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, DOE Environmental Management.
FLIP/NEW FACE. Yvette Herrell (R) challenger. N.M.-2, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, DOE Office of Environmental Management. Herrell defeated freshman Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.)
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), incumbent. SC-1, Savannah River Site, DOE Environmental Management and National Nuclear Security Administration.
Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), incumbent NY-23, West Valley Demonstration Project, DOE Environmental Management/ New York state.
Rep. Chuck Fleischman (R-Tenn.), incumbent. TN-3, Y-12 National Security Complex, National Nuclear Security Administration. Oak Ridge Site, DOE Environmental Management.
SENATE
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), incumbent. Texas, Pantex Plant, National Nuclear Security Administration. Waste Control Specialists, commercial nuclear waste disposal site.
NEW FACE: Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), challenger. New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Nuclear Security Administration (with DOE Environmental Management at Los Alamos). Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, DOE Environmental Management. Lujan is vacating his seat as the congressman from the district including Los Alamos. He will replace Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), who is retiring.
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), incumbent. South Carolina, Savannah River Site, DOE Environmental Management and National Nuclear Security Administration.
NEW FACE: Bill Hagerty (R), Tennessee, challenger. Y-12 National Security Complex, National Nuclear Security Administration. Oak Ridge Site, DOE Environmental Management. Hagerty, economic development commissioner under Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R), won the seat being vacated by Tennessee’s senior senator, the moderate Republican, former Tennessee governor, and chair of the Senate Appropriations energy and water subcommittee, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
