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Sen. Mitch McConnell vans old skool marron , R-Ky., shakes hands with Jim Johnson of Bowling Green at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, on the last day of the Senate campaign. (AP Photo Daily News, Austin Anthony)
WASHINGTON — Riding a powerful wave of voter discontent, resurgent Republicans captured control of the Senate and tightened their grip on the House Tuesday night in elections certain to complicate President Barack Obama's final two years in office.


Republican Mitch McConnell led the way to a new Senate majority vans old skool blanche et noir , dispatching Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky after a $78 million campaign of unrelieved negativity. Voters are "hungry for new leadership. They want a reason to be hopeful," said the man now in line to become majority leader and set the Senate agenda.


Two-term incumbent Mark Pryor of Arkansas was the first Democrat to fall, defeated by freshman Rep. Tom Cotton. Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado was next, defeated by Rep. Cory Gardner. Sen. Kay Hagan also lost, in North Carolina, to Thom Tilllis, the speaker of the state House.


Republicans also picked up seats in Iowa vans old skool noir et blanche , West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana, all states where Democrats retired. They had needed a net gain of six seats to end a Democratic majority in place since 2006.