DEMOCRATS won the House on Tuesday but Republicans increased their majority in the Senate in an election which revealed that the United States of America is still sharply divided along party lines. According to projections by the US media, Democrats will have 229 seats in the 435-member House while Republicans will hold 53 seats in the 100-member Senate, up from 51. So far, based on published results, Democrats have 222 seats in House and 45 seats in Senate. And Republicans have 199 seats in House and 51 seats in the Senate.
Despite the setback, Trump, in a news conference at the White House hailed the election day as a “big day” for Republicans. He offered an olive branch to Democrats, praising their leader and likely next House speaker Nancy Pelosi, but angrily lashed out at journalists for questioning his congressional campaign tactics.
Republicans defeated Democratic senators in several states won by Trump in 2016 — Florida, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. Republican senate candidates were also leading in Arizona and Montana. Democrats appear to have won a Republican senate seat in Nevada. Democrats also picked up seven governorships but fell short in a high-profile race for the governor’s mansion in Florida, expected to play a key role in the 2020 presidential election. With the House victory, the Democrats will take over committees now.
The shifts in the balance of power occur in the US in undefined cycles. It is not unknown that the US voters will vote for a different party in the Senate or the House. What will be interesting to see is the future course of power politics in the US. Just how far will the Democrats obstruct, or try to obstruct, Trump’s agenda!
Such swings however are part and parcel of the US politics. The extent to which Mr Trump will be conciliatory to the Democrats depends on how well they both agree to get along. But if past history is any sign, a long period of obstructionism appears to be in the cards. We can expect plenty of name shaming and a blame game to be played out among the Republicans and Democrats.
Despite the setback, Trump, in a news conference at the White House hailed the election day as a “big day” for Republicans. He offered an olive branch to Democrats, praising their leader and likely next House speaker Nancy Pelosi, but angrily lashed out at journalists for questioning his congressional campaign tactics.
Republicans defeated Democratic senators in several states won by Trump in 2016 — Florida, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. Republican senate candidates were also leading in Arizona and Montana. Democrats appear to have won a Republican senate seat in Nevada. Democrats also picked up seven governorships but fell short in a high-profile race for the governor’s mansion in Florida, expected to play a key role in the 2020 presidential election. With the House victory, the Democrats will take over committees now.
The shifts in the balance of power occur in the US in undefined cycles. It is not unknown that the US voters will vote for a different party in the Senate or the House. What will be interesting to see is the future course of power politics in the US. Just how far will the Democrats obstruct, or try to obstruct, Trump’s agenda!
Such swings however are part and parcel of the US politics. The extent to which Mr Trump will be conciliatory to the Democrats depends on how well they both agree to get along. But if past history is any sign, a long period of obstructionism appears to be in the cards. We can expect plenty of name shaming and a blame game to be played out among the Republicans and Democrats.
