Despite facing a vastly different political landscape, United States President is claiming a “Big Victory” in Tuesday’s midterm election.
He’s taken to Twitter to claim a tremendous success with Republicans picking up several key seats to solidify their hold on the Senate while Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives that could represent a huge blow to the President’s agenda.
Democrats already have 222 seats confirmed, requiring a 218 majority in the House while Republicans have 51 in the 100-seat Senate. That could spell trouble for the Trump administration as Democrats now have the power to provide oversight of his administration, which includes subpoena power.
It wasn’t the blue wave many were expecting. But Democrats regain one lever of power that gives them more leverage in dealing with the administration of President Trump – with the minority leader Nancy Pelosi earmarked to retake the Speakership – a position she first held in 2007 and the only woman ever do so.
“In stark contrast to the GOP Congress, a Democratic Congress who will be led with transparency and openness so that the public can see what’s happening and how it affects them, and that they can weigh in with the members of Congress, and with the president of the United States. We will have accountability and we will strive for bipartisanship with fairness on all sides. We have a responsibility to find our common ground where we can, stand our ground where we can’t, but we must try. We have a market of a bipartisan marketplace of ideas that makes our democracy strong. A Democratic Congress will work for solutions that bring us together.”
Democrats suffered key incumbent losses in Senate races in Missouri, North Dakota and Indiana – rural states where President Trump remains popular – and were unable to shift Republican holds on Senate seats in Texas and Arizona.
In Florida the Senate race remains too close to call with Democrat incumbent Bill Nelson hanging on by a thread – giving the President enough ammunition to claim victory in this election. But he complained on twitter about not being given enough credit and sent a warning shot to Democrats that if they’re planning to waste taxpayer money by investigating Republicans then his party would be forced to return the favour in the Senate. After a night in which a record number of women won election to Congress.
Abigail Spanberger unseated a Republican incumbent in her Virginia district.
“This is what can happen when everyday citizens realize their collective strength in a democracy and when they join with their neighbors to stand up for what they believe in and they use their voices at the polls.”
Democrats also suffered emotional loses in Texas where insurgent Beto O’Rouke failed to unseat Ted Cruz and in Florida when Andrew Gillum fell short in his quest to become the states first black Governor. He lost to Ron DeSantis.
“Other than serving our nation in uniform, the opportunity to serve as the 46th governor of the great state of Florida is the greatest professional honor of my life.”
Next door in Georgia, the project to elect the country’s first black woman Governor hangs in the balance. Stacey Abrams trails but has yet to concede the race.
“There are votes remaining to be counted, there are voices remaining to be heard, across our states folks are opening up the dreams of voters in absentee ballots and we believe our chances for a stronger Georgia is just within reach. But we cannot seize it until all voices are heard.”
Several key races remain outstanding but the dye in this election has largely been cast.
