Some results became known already in the first hours after the polling stations closed
Photo: Reuters
In the US, the results of the mid-term elections for Congress are summarized. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats out of 100 in the Senate are up for grabs. The main intrigue is which party – Republican or Democratic – will have a majority in the lower and upper houses of parliament. Prior to this election, both houses were controlled by Democrats.
There is no party-list voting in the United States. In each case, voters at the district or state level choose their representative from between two candidates (similar to voting in single-member districts in Russia).
Counting of votes will continue throughout Wednesday and may take several days in some cases. However, some results became known already in the first hours after the polling stations closed. Here are some conclusions that can be drawn from them.
1. The “Red Tsunami” did not happen
Some analysts predicted a landslide victory for Republicans even in states that have traditionally voted Democratic in the past. Such a scenario was called a “red tsunami” in election schemes (red is the traditional color of Republicans, blue is of Democrats). Although the Republican Party has some advantage and its representatives often emerge victorious, the Democrats, supporters of Biden, perform better than expected and have won victories in some “contested” states.
2. Ron DeSantis is aiming for president
Ron DeSantis, the new star of the Republican Party, won a very convincing victory in the election for governor of Florida. His lead over his Democratic rival is about 20%. After that victory, DeSantis was called “the most powerful politician in the country right now” by The New York Times. Many American analysts believe that he is the favorite for the US presidential election in 2024, if, of course, he decides to run. The popularity of the young party member clearly arouses the jealousy of Donald Trump. The former president, who dreams of returning to the White House, has already warned Ron from Florida about premature presidential ambitions.
3. Stumbling in the Senate
As of 10 a.m. (Moscow time), 188 Republicans and 157 Democrats were declared winners in the House of Representatives, and counting continued in 90 precincts. According to exit polls, the lower house of Congress should come under Republican control.
But the Senate battle remains unpredictable. As of 10 a.m., 48 seats were held by Democrats, 47 by Republicans. At the same time, to get a majority, the Democrats must win at least 2 of the remaining 5 districts (with equal representation in the Senate, the Democrats will have the deciding vote, since the president represents that party).
4. Operation “Legalization”
In five states, residents voted to legalize the use of marijuana. According to the first results, decriminalization of the drug was approved in Maryland and Missouri, while residents of Arkansas and North Dakota were against it.
In addition, some states voted to guarantee abortion rights for women. This proposal is known to have received support in California and Michigan.
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