Republicans close in on winning the House.Control of the Senate still held

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans closed Wednesday with a narrow majority in the House, with control of the Senate hinged in tight elections in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia. midterm elections It defied expectations of a crushing victory for conservatives driven by inflation and frustration with President Joe Biden’s leadership.

John Fetterman’s success in overthrowing the Republican-controlled Senate seat in Pennsylvania boosted Democrats’ hopes of maintaining control of the House. Republicans have found a bright spot in Wisconsin. There, Senator Ron Johnson’s victory raised the stakes in an election whose outcome was uncertain and votes were being counted.

In the House, Democrats held seats in districts from Virginia to Kansas to Rhode Island, but many states such as New York and California did not convene. However, Republicans have scored some key victories in an attempt to retake her five seats needed to regain a majority in the House. In a particularly iconic victory, Republicans overthrew New York’s House Democratic campaign manager Sean Patrick Maloney.

The race for control of Congress will determine the future of Biden’s agenda and serve as a referendum on his administration as the country reels from record-high inflation and concerns over the country’s direction. A majority would likely spark a flurry of investigations into Biden and his family, while a Republican takeover of the Senate would hamper the president’s ability to make judicial appointments.

Democratic Party. But after this summer’s Supreme Court ruling that overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade court ruling, candidates who prioritized protecting abortion rights performed well. The party won the gubernatorial election, Wisconsin, Michigan When pennsylvania — Battlefield Critical to Biden’s 2020 win About Donald Trump.But Republicans kept the governor’s mansion Florida, texas When Georgiaanother battlefield state Biden narrowly wins Two years ago.

Neither party secured a majority in either Congress, but the midterm elections did not produce a significant rise in Republican support.

“As long as I’m sitting here, I can’t say with 100% certainty who holds the majority in the House,” Maloney said. will know.”

Democrats faced historic headwinds. The party in power almost always loses in the president’s first midterm elections, but the Democrats are betting their anger on the Supreme Court’s decision. abortion rights It may inspire voters to buck past trends.

In Pennsylvania, a battlefield, Democrats won the governorship and won the Senate. Fetterman, who faced questions about his suitability for the office after suffering a stroke, surpassed Trump-backed Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz. In the gubernatorial race, Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro defeated Republican Doug Mastriano, who feared he would not prove a Democratic presidential victory in the state in 2024. was

“I’m so humbled,” Fetterman, wearing his signature hoodie, told supporters. has always been in my mind.”

Democrats also held a key Senate seat in New Hampshire, where incumbent Maggie Hassan defeated Republican Retired Army General Don Bolduc, one of the more extreme positions he took in the Republican primary.

Wisconsin Democrat Tony Evers, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, New York’s Kathy Hochul, New Mexico’s Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Maine’s Janet Mills also defeated Republican challengers.

The incumbent Republican governor has had some success. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp won re-election, defeating Stacey Abrams in a 2018 rematch. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two of his future Republican presidential candidates, defeated Democratic challengers to win the nation’s biggest deficit states. .

Democratic Governor Laura Kelly won re-election in conservative Kansas, but Republicans tried to overturn it. In liberal Oregon, Democrat Tina Kotek was fighting for victory in a three-way gubernatorial race.

AP VoteCast, extensive research It showed that concerns about high inflation and democratic fragility had a significant impact on voters. Half of voters say inflation has played a major role, with food, gas, housing, food and other costs skyrocketing over the past year. Only a minority, 44%, said the future of democracy was their primary consideration.

Biden doesn’t take full responsibility for inflation, with nearly half of voters saying higher-than-usual prices are due to factors beyond his control. Some voters supported the Democratic nominee even though the president faced criticism from pessimistic voters.

Biden called Democrats overnight Congratulating them on their victory, he held a press conference at the White House late Wednesday afternoon.

Democrats were betting on a medium-term boost stemming from voter anger over the removal of women’s constitutional right to abortion. Definitely red Kentucky voters rejected the ballot measure It is intended to deny constitutional protection to abortion. Voters in Michigan’s battleground state voted to amend the state constitution to protect abortion rights.

The results mirror what happened in Kansas, another red state, when voters changed the Kansas constitution in August to allow lawmakers to tighten regulations or ban abortion. Meanwhile, voters in battleground state Michigan voted to amend the state constitution to protect abortion rights.

VoteCast showed that 7 in 10 voters nationwide said overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was a key element of the interlocutory decision. We also showed that reversals are generally unpopular. And about 6 in 10 say they support legislation that guarantees legal access to abortion nationwide.

There were no widespread problems with ballots or voter intimidation reported across the country. A Typical Hiccup Most Election Days.

In the first national election since the Jan. 6 riots, some of those who took part in or were near the attack on the US Capitol were poised to win elected office. One of his Republican candidates, Wisconsin’s Derrick Van Oden, won a seat in the House of Representatives, albeit outside the Capitol during the deadly riots. Another one of his is J.R. Majewski’s loss to Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton thwarted an overzealous Republican challenger in a Virginia district the Republicans hoped to reverse.

According to nonpartisan campaign finance tracking organization OpenSecrets, the 2022 election is projected to cost $16.7 billion at the state and federal level, making it the most expensive midterm election ever.

Trump led Republican Senate candidates to victory in Ohio and North Carolina. His J.D. Vance, bestselling author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” defeated 10th Congressman Tim Ryan, and Rep. Ted Bud defeated former Chief Justice Sherri Beasley.

Trump has endorsed more than 300 candidates across the country and hoped the night would end with a red wave he could ride for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. After calling reporters and his most loyal supporters to a watch party at the A Lago Club, he ended the night without a victory speech.

Still, the former president claimed on social media that he “had a great night.” Hours later, Palm Beach County issued an evacuation order for the area containing Trump’s club. Tropical Storm Nicole is approaching.