AP balance of power I'm Sagar Meghani in Washington the first polls are closed the first races are called and there are no surprises so far Democrats are going to keep the Vermont Senate seat now held by the retiring Patrick Leahy with Peter Welch moving from the house to replace him Republicans Rand Paul and Tim Scott will keep their seats in Kentucky and South Carolina The focus is still on a handful of tight races that will decide the Senate majority like Pennsylvania and Arizona The AP's fiduciary reports the AP vote cast survey of voters nationwide shows some discontent Most voters say they are defeated about the direction of the country is going in with concerns about high gas prices and the potential threat to democracy being among the top factors The president's pushed hard to brand maga Republicans as that threat to democracy the GOP meantime says the blame for economic troubles is squarely on him It's looking to seize control of at least one chamber of Congress which would upend the president's plans the next two years Sagar Meghani Washington