The 2022 US midterm elections are drawing to a close, although vote counting is still underway in many places and it is not clear who has won the race. In any case, the whole story didn’t turn out the way most people covering the proceedings expected.
Democrats, who were expected to post significant losses in the House of Representatives, appear to have pulled through, although it remains possible they will end up in the minority.
The 2022 US midterm elections are drawing to a close, although vote counting is still underway in many places and it is not clear who has won the race. In any case, the whole story didn’t turn out the way most people covering the proceedings expected.
Democrats, who were expected to post significant losses in the House of Representatives, appear to have pulled through, although it remains possible they will end up in the minority.
In the battle for control of the Senate, things are lopsided, with Democrats currently winning a single seat in Pennsylvania. It’s too early to draw conclusions in the all-important contests in Arizona and Nevada, while the Senate race in Georgia is forecast to go to a runoff on December 6.
Some of the biggest winners and losers have certainly emerged from the midterm election results so far.
Winners
Ron DeSandis: While it was otherwise a disappointing night for Republicans, the Florida governor was a bright spot for the party. He completely crushed former Gov. Charlie Crist and secured a second term. The victory—and the margin by which it was won—could very well be a springboard for a national election, since he can now make the case that he will accomplish across the country what he just accomplished in Florida. Immediately after his victory, DeSandis drew sweeping conclusions, saying it was a “victory that will leave an era” and calling Florida the state “where revivalism goes to die.” Yeah, well… In any case, DeSandis is coming out of this election with a win, and now Republicans are waiting to see what he does next.
Josh Shapiro: If you’re looking for the next generation of Democratic rock stars, look no further. There’s Shapiro, who was driven to victory in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Shapiro has eloquence, brilliance and is clearly proving attractive to voters in this swing state. Shapiro’s victory is also a victory for election security. Pennsylvania’s governor appoints the state’s chief election officer, and Shapiro’s opponent — Republican Doug Mastriano — was a 2020 re-electionist.
Marjorie Taylor Green: If things had gone as the Republicans had envisioned, the party would now have won comfortably and enjoyed a significant majority of seats. However, at the national level, this does not seem to be the case. The most likely outcome – although the process is not complete in key states – is a very slim majority for the Republicans. That would be very good news for Green and the rest of the House Freedom Caucus. This group represents a stable bloc of voters, so Green and her ilk could use their support as a bargaining chip to extract concessions and gain leverage. Under that scenario, whichever Republican becomes speaker of the House—with Kevin McCarthy the favorite—would need to make sure they’re on the same page with this Assembly before any major vote.
Simon Rosenberg: Rosenberg, a longtime Democratic strategist, has always said the apparent shift in vote intent toward Republicans in the final weeks before the election was misleading — and that it was due to a series of Republican-sponsored polls that shifted the poll averages in favor of their party. “He was right. Full stop” says CNN.
Gretchen Whitmer: The Michigan governor has had many ups and downs during her first term. In the election, however, she clearly prevailed over Republican Tudor Dixon by nearly 10 points Wednesday. Whitmer, who in 2020 was on Joe Biden’s list of potential vice presidential picks, has cemented her position as a force to be reckoned with in the Democratic Party’s future.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Trump’s former White House press secretary has been swept to an election victory to become the next governor of Arkansas. Which was to be expected. Watch now for what Sanders will do to expand her reach beyond state borders. It is certainly possible that a person will end up in the national candidate pool at some point – and soon.
Joe Manchin: Whatever happens in the states where the outcome of the race is not yet known, we know one thing: the majority that either side will win in the Senate will be very small – once again. Which means Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, will likely be—once again—the swing vote on critical legislation over the next two years. This, if the past two years are any indication, is a very strong position to be in. And Manchin looks set to secure a third term in 2024.
Defeated
Donald Trump: It’s hard to imagine things getting any worse for the former president. The Republicans did not sweep the country as predicted, and the rise of DeSandis was one of the important events of the election day. And it seems that Trump is getting nervous about deSandis sending him veiled warnings about the 2024 presidential race. But despite his big mouth and his charms, the night of the election was not for him as he had imagined it.
Beto O’Rourke: O’Rourke failed to beat Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday night, meaning he has now lost three consecutive election contests: in 2018 he lost the Senate race to Ted Cruz, 2020 the Democratic presidential primary and 2022 the race for governor. In politics, as in baseball, usually after three hits you’re out. It’s hard to see O’Rourke running for any position with any credibility in the near future. It’s an incredible decline for someone who just a few years ago was considered a rising star for Democrats.
