The midterm elections – marked by exceedingly high turnout and media attention – are finally over, and brought mixed results for both parties.Democrats regained control of the House, gaining 28 seats, with a handful still to be declared. The party’s slim majority will allow Democrats to stymie Republican legislation and push for investigations into the president’s conduct. Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal has already said that he intends to formally request President Trump’s tax returns.
“When Democrats come into power, what are they going to do? Are they going to actually legislate or is it going to be two years of just investigation after investigation, because I think that plays exactly into Trump’s hands for 2020,” Ned Ryun, founder and CEO of the American Majority
While Democrats got the upper hand in the lower house, Republicans extended their majority in the Senate by three seats. The GOP now holds 51 seats to the Democrats’ 43, with independents taking two and four yet to be declared. Once all votes are accounted for, the GOP is expected to hold a 53-47 majority in the upper house.
A comfortable Senate majority means President Trump will have a far easier time confirming another conservative Supreme Court justice, should a seat become vacant.
Trump-backed gubernatorial candidates Ron DeSantis (Florida) and Brian Kemp (Georgia) also beat their progressive challengers, Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams.