Daily Times

The results are in: Democrats and Republicans collectively win a surprising high-stakes election, with the better part of a Majority in the Senate and a too-close-to-call Minority in the House. Going into tonight, Republican Leaders sought a landslide majority, with a tradition of defeating the governing party in the midterms. This prophecy fortunately came out to be untrue. A panic-infused night for the GOP, where former president Donald Trump attempted a last-minute smear campaign against his own Republican Colleague and Florida Gov DeSantis.

After declaring victory later towards midnight, Gov DeSantis addressed a rally, noting, “We saw freedom and our very way of life in some many other jurisdictions in this country wither on the vine, Florida held the line.”

Democrats picked up a tough seat in Pennsylvania, with Lt Gov John Fetterman; taking a two-point lead over TV Doctor, and Trump endorsed Dr Mehmet Oz, who was believed to be that crucial 51st vote for the Senate Republican Conference. At a rally, Fetterman touted the dynamic nature of his campaign; thanking his campaign and message of inclusivity for each county of the state.

In terms of seats in the lower chamber of Congress, Democrats are expected to return to the minority and serve the next two years with a potential Speaker Kevin McCarthy, taking the place of incumbent Rep Nancy Pelosi, whose husband was recently attacked at their California home. In terms of seats in the upper chamber-the Senate-Democrats are expected to keep hold of their 50 seats and add one more, by flipping the Keystone State of the Pennsylvanian commonwealth.

Up and down the ballot, the legislative measures were widely and wisely accepted as liberally as possible.

Maggie Hassan, Mark Kelly, and Tammy Duckworth are a few of many holding on to their seats, with one of the most diversely enacted ballots of the year. Republicans started the night with hopes for a red wave, a reflection of what happened in 2019, with the 116th Congress shattering the Trump administration’s efforts to push an agenda forward. After the first polls came in tonight, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was re-elected Governor, along with his fellow GOP Senator Marco Rubio, a setback to many in the Democratic caucus hoping to tap Florida’s Latino vote. However, Florida was the only place where the Republican wave came alongside the Canaveral shore.

Exit polls show a major inclination towards the economy and Abortion rights. Abortion rights, a huge issue after the Dobbs Decision, was to be a conceding match for Democrats going into November-as many pundits thought. But polls show Roe v. Wade represented a 60 per cent yea response to the legality and legislations of Abortion rights in America.

The Minority Leader, from the Republican side, was late to congratulate his victory and the victory of the conference with the big win he made to pave his way to Speakership.

“You’re out late, but when you wake up tomorrow, we will be in the majority, and Nancy Pelosi will be in the minority,” said McCarthy as he woke up today to a changed political landscape, for both parties.

Although premature, his announcement was a setback, symbolically as well as politically to many democrats who hoped to secure the next 2 years, as an unchecked continuation of power. It is worth noting that Leader McCarthy activated and mobilized much of the party hoping to win well over 230 out of 435 seats in Congress. This would’ve aided his plans of impeaching the President. But the fact that his dangerous messaging and volatile rhetoric was rejected by the voter, speaks volumes to his term duration as Speaker of the House and third in line for the Presidency.

Generally speaking, the House was the only victory-that too by a slim majority for Republicans. Up and down the ballot, the legislative measures were widely and wisely accepted as liberally as possible. In Maryland, a questionably Swing state, the question of marijuana legalization was held to account, and accepted, for ages 21 and older. In Nebraska, another Red state, the measure to increase the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour was passed with approximately 75% of the vote.

Whether or not this was a referendum on Joe Biden’s administration is not of the essence, as the Democrats clearly won some procedural vote for the 118th congress. However, as the idea of America’s transition away from Trump becomes more and more apparent, it’s uncertain, whether the GOP can survive beyond its two-seat majority in a less powerful chamber of government.

Each Gubernatorial candidate, be it, Laxalt, in Nevada, or Kari Lake in Arizona, lost due to their ties to Trump. They don’t accept the results of their election-a habit inherited by their endorsee-but that doesn’t change the ground reality. Dr Oz in Pennsylvania lost due to his upending support for the former President. And so, as this idea of an eroding democracy awakens, voters must be asked; what is the truth? The truth-as stated by the American voter last night is that the era of denying democracy and being a bad sport is long gone.

The writer is a columnist and a linguistic activist.