‘Senate retention by Democrats is a major blow to Republicans’

• Jules Jesrun

  Teacher Online

with success Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada It is now clear that the Democrats have control of the Senate. It’s a boost for President Biden’s party, but above all a significant blow to the Republican Party, say American pundits Victor Willam and Kenneth Manusama.

Although the election results for the House of Representatives are still pending, Republicans seem to be holding the longest straw there. But in the House, Democrats are doing better than expected.

“When it turned out on Wednesday that Democrats in the House of Representatives lost much less than expected, they celebrated it as a moral victory,” Manusama says. “But now that they have a majority in the Senate, it’s being celebrated as a complete victory.”

This is one of the best results achieved by the incumbent President’s party in the by-elections. Victor Willam: “Only George W. Bush actually won in 2002, but that was because of the perception of the September 11 attacks the year before”.

With the House of Representatives almost certain to fall into Republican hands, both U.S. experts do not expect Biden and Democrats to pass any major legislation or legislative amendments through Congress in the next two years.

Still, the importance of securing the Senate shouldn’t be underestimated, Manusama says: “Democrats can now at least block Republican legislation. So, for example, national anti-abortion legislation will not be introduced now.”

The Senate decides on the appointment of judges, for example to the Supreme Court. Democrats can now continue to make their mark there as well. Manusama: “Biden has already been busy appointing progressive judges. It won’t stop now.”

The election results also make it clear that Trump supporters have failed in a big way. “Nominating pro-Trump candidates who denied the results of the 2020 election has put off many voters,” says Vilam. “You can essentially attribute the absence of a red (Republican, ed.) wave to the rejection of extremism”.

Vilam thinks that could hurt Trump in a possible 2024 run for president. “Trump’s strategy was to say with great success: It’s partly thanks to me. He can’t say it anymore. I don’t think this is the right time to announce his presidential aspirations, as seen from a Republican perspective. To be heard”.

But Manusama and Vlam feel it is still too early to make predictions for the presidential election based on the mid-term elections. Manusama: “It’s clearly going to be a tumultuous year for the Republican Party. A lot depends on the course they’re going to take now. Republican voters may be thinking at this point: What are we going to do with this party?”

But Republicans could also come out stronger. Vilam: “I think there’s a big lesson for Republicans to learn from this. They’re going to moderate their tone and come out stronger. In 2010, Barack Obama lost 63 seats, and two years later he won the presidential election. So we shouldn’t be blindsided by last week’s results.