By Mohammad El Sahily | Staff Writer
On November 8, the midterm elections in the United States took place amid one of the most charged political moments in American history. All 435 seats of the US House, as well as 35 seats in the Senate (out of 100), were contested across the country. After initial predictions of a “red wave” which would grant Republicans an absolute majority, the results (so far) show a democratic majority in the Senate and a single-digit Republican majority in the House. The unforeseen results of this election were considered a personal victory for the current US president Joe Biden and the leadership of the Democratic Party.
In the months preceding the midterms, and arguably since Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential elections, there has been a highly charged and polarized climate in the US political scene. After the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Republican Party’s refusal to hold Donald Trump accountable has put American democracy in jeopardy. Subsequently, Trump’s vocal refusal to concede, and his later support for candidates that can only be called unhinged and unfit, has recast this election as an existential fight for democracy. This reversed the projected “red wave” into superb results for the Democratic Party’s candidates nationwide.
The Democrats now have a strong majority in the Senate, which would greatly facilitate the work of Joe Biden over the remainder of his term. In almost ironic confirmation of the Democrats’ slogans, House Republicans decided to begin an investigation of alleged criminal activities committed by Hunter Biden despite having a thin majority. This would only serve to highlight the increasing division in the American public sphere. There is little expectation that the Republicans would allow any bill which would help the Biden administration to be signed into law, to be used as a campaign slogan in the upcoming elections.
On the other hand, the Republican Party is in shambles. Over the past months, Republican rhetoric has been seemingly gaining much traction, especially among a disillusioned population experiencing an inflation crisis and rising energy prices, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Republicans, especially those affiliated with Trump, made the Democrats’ handling of illegal immigration a central part of their slogan. They harshly criticized Biden administration officials and progressive members of Congress which was exacerbated by the repelling of Roe v Wade in the summer. Coupled with this, there was a rise in hate speech and attacks against members of marginalized communities.
After the results, former President Trump announced he would run again in 2024, which further fueled inter-party fighting amongst the Republicans. Trump was criticized by many as the reason behind the loss of a majority in the Senate, through his support of candidates who were espousing harmful discourse, influenced by his denial of the 2020 election results. He attacked Florida governor Ron DeSantis after his victory, seemingly warning him of a challenge for the Republican nomination in 2024. The Republican party, therefore, is expected to be mired in internal strife regarding the presidential ticket and the viability of tactics.
The surprise in this election is the shattering of the Republican Party’s image and integrity. By providing no real economic plan for the US and focusing on abortion rights and socio-cultural shifts while choosing poor candidates like Lauren Boebert and Herschel Walker, the party damaged its already fledging reputation and alienated the younger generation of voters, namely Gen Z. This tipped the scales massively in favor of the Democrats, especially in swing states like Pennsylvania. The Republicans can only survive in such a climate if they abandon populist politics and focus on policy.
Credit: The Associated Press