US Midterm Elections: Republicans Lose Key Senate Seats!

Summary:

Democrats stage a major comeback in the midterm elections, regaining control of both chambers of Congress from Republicans. Democrats have secured 220 seats in the House of Representatives, compared with 127 for Republicans.

On November 3 local time, the United States held its midterm elections. Against a backdrop of elevated inflation and rising living costs, the vote served as a challenging “midterm test” for the Trump administration's second term.

US media projected on the evening of November 3 that Democrats would win multiple House seats from Republicans in the midterm elections, regaining control of the House of Representatives.

The latest results showed that Democrats had staged a major comeback, regaining control of both chambers of Congress from Republicans. Democrats have secured 220 seats in the House, while Republicans have won 127.

In addition, including the 65 Senate seats not up for election this cycle, the Democratic caucus has secured 53 seats in the Senate, while Republicans have won 41.

Democrats successfully flipped seven Senate seats previously held by Republicans, in Maine, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Texas.

According to the latest NBC News poll, 52% of respondents supported Democrats in the midterm elections, compared with 44% who supported Republicans. US President Donald Trump's approval rating among respondents stood at 38%.

According to US media reports cited by CCTV International News, former North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper defeated Republican candidate Michael Whatley, who was endorsed by President Trump, in the US Senate race on November 3 local time, securing a key Senate seat for Democrats.

Cooper's victory broke the Republicans' 18-year winning streak in North Carolina's US Senate elections, making him the first Democrat in 18 years to win a Senate race in the state.

In this year's midterm elections, Republicans and Democrats competed for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats. Voters also elected governors in 36 states, as well as state legislators and other local officials in some states.

Before the midterm elections, Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress. Based on the pre-election balance of seats, Democrats needed to gain just three seats to take control of the House. In the Senate, the two parties were locked in closely contested races in seven states, including Maine, Texas and Michigan. Democrats needed to gain four seats to secure a 51-seat majority.

Pre-election polls suggested that Democrats were likely to perform strongly and could challenge for control of both chambers. However, in a telephone interview with the Financial Times on November 3 local time, President Trump expressed optimism about the Republicans' electoral prospects, saying that his recent campaign rallies had all been successful.

Trump also said that if Democrats made gains in the election and took control of Congress, he could use his presidential veto power to force them into a bipartisan agreement. In an interview that day, Trump said: “Historically, you just exercise the veto for a couple of months, and then they come to you and say, ‘We have to make a deal.’”

Polling released by several US institutions showed that the economy was one of the most closely watched issues in this year's midterm elections. A survey published by the Pew Research Center in October found that as many as 84% of registered voters considered the economy a “very important” factor in deciding how to vote. Notably, the figure reached 88% among Democratic supporters and 82% among Republican supporters.

Although supporters of the two parties differ on many policy issues, they largely agree on the importance of the economy. The US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which broke out in February this year, has added another dimension to economic concerns. Volatility in energy markets triggered by the conflict has pushed up fuel and transportation costs, further straining the budgets of some American households.

In response to voters' concerns, Democrats made rising living costs and the economic impact of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran central campaign issues, criticizing the Republican administration's policies. Republicans, meanwhile, emphasized their economic and national security policies in an effort to win voter support.

Beyond the cost of living, healthcare, immigration policy and the direction of US foreign policy were also key concerns for voters. The latest survey released by the Associated Press found that, in addition to the economy and living costs, 69% of voters were highly concerned about healthcare expenses, while more than 60% were concerned about the domestic repercussions of international instability.

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US Midterm Elections: Republicans Lose Key Senate Seats!

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