Senate is still up for grabs as Republicans inch closer to a majority in the US House. Republicans continue to be the favourites, while 33 House races remained undecided.
WASHINGTON:
Republicans were getting closer to taking control of the U.S. government. Two days after Democrats fended off a Republican “red wave” in midterm elections, the Senate’s majority was in doubt early on Thursday while control of the House of Representatives was also in doubt.
Edison Research estimated that Republicans had won at least 210 House seats, falling eight short of the 218 required to seize control of the House from Democrats and essentially derail President Joe Biden’s legislative programme.
Republicans continue to be the favourites, but with 33 House races still up for grabs, including 21 of the 53 most competitive districts, according to a Reuters survey of the top nonpartisan forecasts, it is probable that the results won’t be known for some time.
The Senate’s future was much less secure. Both parties have a chance to take over by winning contests that are too close to call in Nevada and Arizona, where authorities are meticulously counting thousands of uncounted ballots.
In the event of a split, Georgia would once again hold a runoff election to determine the Senate majority. Both Republican candidate Herschel Walker and Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock fell short of the required 50% on Tuesday, pushing them into a one-on-one contest on December 6.
Republicans would be able to influence the remainder of Biden’s tenure even with a weak House majority by obstructing initiatives like abortion rights and opening investigations into his family and administration.
On Wednesday, Biden stated that he was willing to cooperate with Republicans and acknowledged that situation. According to a White House representative, Biden spoke on the phone with Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, who said earlier in the day that he would run for speaker of the House if the party gained control of the chamber.
At a White House press conference, Biden stated, “I think the American people have made clear that they expect Republicans to be willing to work with me as well.
If McCarthy is elected as the next House speaker, he might have trouble keeping his contentious caucus together because of the hard-right wing’s lack of interest in compromise.
A battle between Republicans and Democrats over raising the country’s borrowing ceiling is anticipated for next year, and it might frighten the financial markets.
Republicans would be able to stop Biden’s candidates for judicial and administrative positions if they had control of the Senate.
MULTIPLE RESULTS
In a president’s first midterm election, the ruling party typically suffers significant losses, and Biden has struggled with low approval ratings. However, Democrats were able to avert the lopsided loss that Republicans had predicted.
The election results on Tuesday appeared to show that voters were punishing Biden for the highest inflation rate in forty years, as well as criticising Republican efforts to outlaw abortion and raise questions about the country’s voting system.
At a time when hundreds of Republican candidates supported Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged, Biden had cast the election as a test of American democracy.
On Tuesday, a few election sceptics triumphed, while many candidates running for state election supervisor jobs lost.
I believe it was a fantastic day for democracy, Biden remarked.
Trump, who actively sought out Republican candidates, had varying degrees of success.
Ohio, the home state of “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. In order to keep the Senate in Republican hands, Vance won a seat. But a number of other Trump-backed candidates lost, including retired celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who was defeated by Democrat John Fetterman in a pivotal Pennsylvania Senate contest.
While all was going on, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who might take on Trump in 2024, won reelection with a margin of victory close to 20 percentage points, raising his profile on a national level.
