There’s good and bad for both parties in the midterm’s red ripple.
So the anticipated red wave in this midterm election morphed into a red ripple.
It’s a disappointment for fierce Republican partisans who wanted a huge run up in the House, and a clear takeover of the Senate, along with an astounding mandate. However, it shouldn’t be lost on voters that a win is a win in the House, and that has major ramifications.
Likewise, the Democrats cannot be happy that they lost the House, but they held on to numerous vulnerable governor seats, and may have kept control of the Senate. In the final analysis, there’s good and bad for both parties from these results.
For Republicans
Here’s the good:
Whether the GOP ends up with a margin of 30 seats or three in the House, they will still control the Speaker position and every committee. That means they can block any progressive proposals coming from the White House. It also means that they have the ability to conduct investigations with subpoena power. The tables have now been turned on the Democrats, and especially President Biden, who has to fear investigations over his potential involvement with his son Hunter’s business dealings, as well as having to defend his botched withdrawal in Afghanistan, his policies on the border and COVID, all of which will be scrutinized by the GOP majority.
Here’s the bad:
The thin majority that the Republicans will hold will mean that the more fringe elements of the party, including the Marjorie Taylor Greene types, will have greater sway over the likely Speaker, Kevin McCarthy. Remember, Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi was able to herd her caucus together, but only by conceding to the far left on almost every issue.
The Republicans didn’t have to get control of the Senate to stop the Biden agenda, but the Senate still matters, especially when it comes to the confirmation of judges. Another Supreme Court vacancy in the next two years, though unlikely, would be to the advantage of President Biden, if the Democrats hold the Senate.
Finally, Republicans are finding that their decades-long pursuit of overturning Roe v. Wade may now become the biggest albatross around their neck as it is apparently of deep concern to independent swing voters.
For Democrats
Here’s the good:
Almost every Democrat incumbent governor who was deemed to be vulnerable due to the Democrats’ Covid lockdowns in blue states has withstood off-year jeopardy. It’s also becoming clear that gains made by Democrats in formerly red states of Georgia, Colorado, and Arizona were no flukes. Colorado is essentially blue at this point and Arizona may be controlled by a Democrat governor and two Democrat senators, something unheard of just 10 years ago. This is the result of huge waves of immigration, and Californians moving to Arizona to get away from the Golden State’s high costs, but keeping their liberal voting proclivities.
Here’s the bad:
The Democrats lost control of passing legislation on the federal level. If they lose control of the Senate, their ability to get far-left judges will be hampered. President Biden is likely to be dogged by numerous investigations, placing him on the defensive in the last two years of his term.