We don’t yet have a full picture of the midterm results but we can draw a few early conclusions.
The “red wave” that Republicans had predicted looks like more of a ripple. It doesn’t appear to be the rout the Democrats had feared. They have held onto a number of seats in places where they looked vulnerable. They have won a notable victory in the senate seat in Pennsylvania.
Exit polls suggest that the economy and inflation were the biggest concerns for voters, which should have benefitted Republicans
Democrats ran campaigns that focused on abortion rights and warnings that American democracy was in peril. Whilst Republicans blamed the Biden admiration for the rising cost of living.
So although Democrats may well lose control of the House of Representatives and could yet lose the Senate as well, they will still be breathing a huge sigh of relief
The party in power in Washington usually loses seats in the midterm elections and Joe Biden appears set to lose fewer than either Barack Obama or Donald Trump did at this stage in their presidencies
However, a Republican majority in either of the houses of congress will mean that they can block almost every piece of legislation President Biden proposes.
Source: BBC