Tuesday, Nov. 8, held the 2022 Midterm Elections, the first general election since former President Donald Trump was defeated by President Joe Biden. Unlike polls and projections by political analysts, Democrats have taken control of the Senate, with only the Georgia runoff elections left. Republicans have swept the House, overturning eight seats. However, the margin of control is expected to be narrow with Democratic candidates leading several undecided elections.

“This election was a huge shock for political analysts,” Sean Kim (9), politically invested US citizen, said. “With Biden’s low popularity, inflation, high gas prices, and radical policies, and with 75% of the country being unhappy with the direction of the country, a red wave was expected both in the Senate and House. However, the Democrats are taking the Senate and Republicans aren’t doing as well as expected in the house.” 

Sean added that candidate quality might have influenced the results, as several Trump-endorsed GOP candidates held extreme views and were regularly talking about the 2020 election fraud. These Republican candidates lost several elections they were expected to win.

“The Democrats definitely overperformed in this election considering the historical trends of midterms during a Democratic presidency,” Henry Hatridge (11), a GovPol student, said. “The polls were definitely in favor of the Republicans, and I wasn’t expecting the Democrats to take the Senate like that. I’m still watching the House and the runoffs in Georgia, but those may go to the Republicans.

Prominent Senate races emerged in several key swing states. In Pennsylvania, the Democratic candidate John Fetterman defeated Republican former celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz in a high-profile election. Very close races in Nevada and Arizona also remained undecided for a long time. 

Many US citizens, including those at SIS, were invested in the mid-term results. Some seniors and many teachers were eligible to vote.

“Through a combination of CNN and the New York Times, I kept an eye on the elections,” Patrick Young, US citizen, said. “I kept close track of the race between Oz and Fetterman in Pennsylvania and other races in Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.”

The Republicans’ lackluster performance in the midterms has greatly diminished Trump’s authority over the GOP, as his endorsements were expected to be the key to many candidates’ victories. The results of this election contradict the “red wave” forecasted by many conservative media outlets, and many are now mocking the term, calling it a “red trickle.” 

“I think DeSantis might take over as the face of the GOP with Trump’s hold over the Republican Party weakening,” Sean said. “He had an impressive 19-point lead win in his governor election, and his youth and popularity make him a viable candidate for many conservatives.”

This election will have many implications for the future of US politics. New leaders have emerged across the country, and the nation is more divided than ever. With a new Democratic Senate and a Republican House, it is unlikely that both Legislative bodies will be able to come to an agreement to push legislative action.

“If Kevin Mccarthy (R), becomes Speaker of the House, then the House will just be invested in investigations into Hunter Biden,”  Mr. Young said. “A split Senate and House will be bad, and a lot of people are tired of the excessive partisanship. This isn’t anything new, and it kind of seems like a repeat of history.”