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Sen. Klobuchar’s reelection semi-soured by Trump presidential win

A woman talks to the press
Sen. Amy Klobuchar speaks to the press after winning her reelection at the Minnesota DFL election results watch party in St. Paul on Tuesday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

It’s going to be a very different Congress when U.S. lawmakers reconvene. Voters nationwide granted Republicans control of the U.S. Senate; as of midday Wednesday, the U.S. House is still too close to call, though Republicans have already successfully flipped several seats.

Incumbent Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar handily beat GOP candidate Royce White with more than 56 percent of the vote. Royce garnered less than 40 percent. However, Klobuchar told MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer Wednesday morning that her victory was somewhat soured by President-elect Donald Trump’s win and some of her chamber mates failing to win their own reelection bids.

Klobuchar said it was “not the outcome that we wanted … or that I wanted, and losing some of my colleagues — that’s going to be really hard.”

She said she counts some of her seatmates who lost, including Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, as some of her “best friends.”

Klobuchar outperformed Vice President Harris, who, with Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, got less than 51 percent of Minnesotans’ votes. She also gained Republican support compared to her last reelection.

Listen to Klobuchar and Wurzer’s full conversation by clicking the audio player button above.