Republicans Lose Majority in Both Chambers of US Congress in Midterm Elections
According to commentator Bens Latkovskis, Donald Trump's Republican Party has lost its majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections. He notes that the losses were especially stark in Texas.
In the US midterm congressional elections held on Tuesday, the Republican Party led by President Donald Trump lost its majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is the conclusion of a commentary published by the Latvian outlet NRA and written by Bens Latkovskis. Congress is the US legislative branch, so the result limits the president's ability to advance his agenda. The commentary notes that nearly all pre-election polls had pointed to an unfavourable outcome for Republicans, but the actual result was harsher than expected.
What the loss means
Latkovskis argues that Republicans will no longer be able to pass their own bills or block Democratic initiatives. In his view, the Senate will no longer confirm Trump's nominees for official posts and judgeships. He also suggests that Congress will start investigating the president's actions and summon people to hearings.
The Texas example
The author cites Texas, a long-time Republican state, as a vivid example. In the Senate race, Democratic candidate James Talarico, a 37-year-old preacher, received 55%, while Republican Ken Paxton, a former attorney general, got 43%. Trump had backed Paxton instead of John Cornyn, who had represented Republicans in the Senate since 2002. The commentary says Elon Musk spent 474 million dollars in these elections.
In the governor's race, long-serving Republican governor Greg Abbott lost to Democrat Gina Hinojosa, 45.6% to 52.9%. Republicans in Texas also lost the posts of lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller. In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton won a Senate seat, the first such Democratic win there since 1932.
Trump's reaction
Speaking to Fox News, Trump congratulated the Democrats and said he did not see the result as a blow to himself. Latkovskis considers the outcome a sign that Trumpism has run its course. He says Trump's foreign-policy latitude will remain, but criticism inside the Republican Party may grow.
