With the vice-president having a tie-breaker vote, Democrats have once again edged out Republicans who were tipped by pollsters to win both the Senate and the 435-member House. Winning Georgia would, a distinct possibility now, would be the icing on the cake, freeing vice-president Kamala Harris from babysitting the Senate.
For that matter, even the House results remain on knife’s edge with Republicans struggling to reach the 218 majority mark. With results in 20 seats, mostly from the Democrat-leaning west coast still due, the GOP is leading 211-204. It is now expected to win only a very narrow majority, possible of only one or two seats rather than the 25-50 seat lead it was projected to take. There is still a small possibility Democrats can retain an equally thin majority in the House where they had a five-seat advantage.
The shock results, one of the best in mid-term elections, by a party in control of the White House, has completely changed the political dynamics in America. Bloodletting and circular fire has erupted in the Republican with the establishment GOP unloading on Donald Trump for blowing the chance to win, and Trumpublicans gunning for the legislative leadership who they say did not bring energy to the campaign.
A visibly happy President Biden, traveling in East Asia, tweeted “Tuesday was a good day for America and a good day for democracy—and a strong night for Democrats.” He hoped the party would win the Georgia seat because “the bigger the number, the better.”
Tuesday was a good day for America and a good day for democracy—and a strong night for Democrats.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) 1668112569000
There are two Democrat Senators — Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema — who have often tripped up the administration’s agenda, sometimes siding with Republicans. Getting to 51 would also enable Democrats to gain majority control Senate committees that would otherwise be even in a 50-50 situation.
Post-election analyses suggest that Democrats were helped by voters furious at the Conservative-leaning Supreme Court’s decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. Single women voted by a 37 per cent margin for Democrats, causing one Republican-partisan anchor to lose his marbles on tv. “Single Women and voters under 40 have been captured by Democrats. So we need these ladies to get married. And it’s time to fall in love and just settle down. Guys, go put a ring on it,” Fox News’ Jesse Watters said in a sexist rant.
Democrats also captured numerous state legislatures and governorships riding on liberal voter anxiety over the direction Trump’s MAGA forces were taking the country.
The setback has considerably diminished Trump’s power. Some mainstream Republicans are now looking to Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who won second term with a spectacular 20 point win against a Democrat challenger in a swing state, to take on the former President for the party nomination for the White House in the 2024 presidential election. Trump Republicans, and Trump himself, have promised to wreak havoc if that were to happen.
“MAGA v The Republican civil war to have right now isn’t Trump vs. DeSantis, it’s us vs. McConnell, McCarthy, and McDaniel,” one Trump supporter tweeted, referring to the party’s legislative and organisational leadership.
Trump has scheduled a major announcement on Tuesday night, with many expecting him to declare his candidacy for 2024 presidential elections despite the mid-term setback. President Biden has said he will decide early next year if he will run for a second term although he has indicated in the past he would.
The election results are also expected to strengthen Biden position internationally, particularly ahead of his meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping on Monday.
