The House of Representatives will also remain safely in the Republican camp.

The GOP won key elections in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, while the Democrats countered with a pick-up in Oklahoma.

Republicans managed to defend tightly contested House seats in Florida, particularly in the Eighth District, which pitted Republican Ric Keller against Democrat Linda Chapin.

'You're Still the One'

But not all races came down to the wire.

With his reelection never in doubt, Kennedy, the senior senator from Massachusetts, relaxed and enjoyed the gala event in his honor last night, a buoyant celebration in Boston's Copley Plaza hotel, complete with local political bigwigs, free-flowing alcohol, bagpipes and hordes of Kennedy siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Despite facing a tough battle in 1994, Kennedy won this election to his seventh term in office overwhelmingly, running against much weaker opponents in a state known nationwide as a bastion of liberalism.

His primary challenger, Republican Jack E. Robinson III, lost the support of the state and national Republican organizations after a series of campaign mishaps and embarrassing personal revelations. Robinson ran the final months of the campaign with no staffers, no headquarters and few donations, making Kennedy's victory a virtual surety.