Elections to the United States Senate were held on November 6, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the
Senate being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms beginning January 3, 2013 with the
113th Congress. The Democrats had 21 seats up for election, plus two
independents who caucused with the Democrats, while the Republicans had only ten seats up for election. The Democrats gained a net of two seats, leaving them with a total of 53 seats. The Republicans lost a net of two seats, ending with a total of 45 seats. The remaining two senators, both independents, caucused with the Democrats, leaving the majority party with a combined total of 55 seats.