Republican hopes of a “red wave” carrying them to power in the US Congress faded yesterday as Democrats put up a stronger-than-expected defense in a contest headed for a cliff-hanger finish.
With a majority of Tuesday’s races called, Republicans seemed on track to reclaim the US House of Representatives for the first time since 2018, but the US Senate was still in play, with forecasts tentatively leaning Democratic.
The midterms delivered a decidedly mixed bag for former US president Donald Trump, who though not on the ballot loomed large over the contest, teasing a 2024 run.
Photo: AFP
Aiming to deliver a rebuke of Biden’s presidency amid sky-high inflation and bitter culture wars, Republicans needed one extra seat to wrest control of the Senate.
However, by early yesterday, the only seat to change party hands went to the Democrats, with John Fetterman triumphing in Pennsylvania.
In the House, early results suggested Republicans were on track for a majority, but only by a handful of seats, a far cry from their predictions.
Photo: AP
Top Republican Kevin McCarthy — who hopes to be the lower chamber’s next speaker — struck an upbeat note, telling supporters in the early hours: “It is clear that we are going to take the House back.”
However, US Senator Lindsey Graham told NBC that the election is “definitely not a Republican wave, that’s for darn sure.”
The president’s party has traditionally lost seats in midterm elections, and with Biden’s ratings stuck in the low 40s, and inflation and crime top issues, pundits had predicted a drubbing.
Photo: AFP
That would have raised tough questions on whether the US’ oldest-ever president, who turns 80 this month, should run again.
Instead Biden stands to emerge in much better shape than either of his Democratic predecessors, former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, who both took a hammering at the midterms.
Control of the Senate hinged on four key races that were still on a knife-edge.
Democrats needed two more wins to hold the chamber, while Republicans needed three to flip it.
In Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin, counting the remaining votes for the Senate could take days.
And Georgia may well go to a runoff scheduled for Dec. 6.
In Arizona, there were problems with voting machines.
Officials in the most populous county of Maricopa said that about 20 percent of the 223 polling stations experienced difficulties related to printers.
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