Election splits Congress, GOP bolstered as Democrats falter

election scrambled seats in House and Senate but ultimately left Congress much like it began, deeply split as voters resisted big changes despite heated race at top of ticket for White House.It’s an outcome that dampens Democratic demands for a bold new nda, emboldens Republicans and almost ensures partisan gridlock regardless of who wins presidency. Or perhaps, as some say, it provides a rare opening for modest across--aisle cooperation.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on track to keep control of Democratic House , but saw her majority shrinking and her leership called into question. Control of Senate tilted Republicans' way as y fended off an onslaught of energized challengers, though a few races remained undecided Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he’s confident “ matter who ends up running government” y’ll be “trying to overcome all that and get results.”One certainty is upended projections will force a rethinking of polling, fundraising and very messs parties use to reach voters in Trump era and beyond.

By evening, Pelosi h all but declared Democrat Joe Biden winner, saying House Democrats “will w have opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress” on party priorities — lowering health care costs, providing jobs through new infrastructure and ors.But dismal outcome for congressional Democrats put in question ambitious plans for legislative overhauls pushed by party, er for a sweep of Washington government.

Even if Democrats capture White House and a narrowly split Senate, Pelosi's lever to force deal-making on her terms will be diminished by her House losses.If Donald Trump wins ar term, his Republican allies particularly in Senate will likely feel more comfortable sticking with him after escaping an electoral wipeout, though y have yet to outline a GOP nda.

Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist close to McConnell, said win or lose Trump “reorganized political parties,” turning Republicans, t Democrats, into party of “working-class” America.“Democrats have a lot to think about when it comes to those voters,” Jennings said. “And Republicans have a lot to think about enacting policies germane to those voters.”

Democrats countered that with Biden on brink of victory, mandate for solutions to coronavirus crisis, faltering ecomy and or big issues was as strong as ever.“We're going to get back to business of governing,” said Zac Petkanas, a Democratic strategist. “Republicans are going to have a choice — wher y're going to be helpful or stand in way.”

Most immediately, a COVID relief bill remains within reach, as pandemic blazes through states. McConnell said he would also like to negotiate a big spending bill to keep government running past a mid-December deline.House Republicans picked up five seats, so far, deflating Pelosi's plans to reach deep into Trump country by making rare gains with women and mirity candidates.

Republicans defeated several Democratic freshmen who delivered House majority in 2018 in a backlash against Trump, by linking m to ir most liberal members, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and inaccurately branding m all as “socialist.”“We expanded this party that reflects America, that looks like America,” said House Mirity Leer Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in a conference call with reporters.

A handful of new progressives will be coming to Washington to join House Democrats, while Republicans will see new right-flank members, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has espoused unfounded QAn conspiracy ories and won a vacant seat in rthwest Georgia. Trump has called Greene a “future Republican star.”

While Democrats picked up must-win Senate seats in Coloro and Arizona, y suffered a setback in Alabama, and Republicans held ir own in one race after ar — in South Carolina, Maine, Iowa, Texas, Kansas and Montana, dramatically limiting Democrats’ hopes of making inros.

“I kw folks are anxious,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told followers on a live Twitter video. “We need to count votes.”Democrats halted a Republican push for John James, a Black businessman trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who won reelection late Wednesday.

races attracted an unprecedented outpouring of small-dollar donations for Democrats from Americans apparently voting with ir pocketbooks to propel long-shot Senate campaigns.“You wasted a lot of money,” said White House ally Sen. Lindsey Graham in Columbia, South Carolina, after defeating Jamie Harrison, despite Democrat’s stunning $100 million haul for his upstart campaign.

Still, Republican strategist Steven Law, president of Senate Leership Fund, which supports GOP senators, said future candidates are going to have to step up ir own fundraising.McConnell also warned of continued problems Republicans face in Trump era as voters turn away from GOP.

“We need to win back suburbs," McConnell said. "We h a better election than most people thought we'd have, but we have improvements we need to make."Republicans believe Democrats erred by focusing almost exclusively on COVID crisis and risks to Americans' health care as Trump and GOP try to unravel Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Voters care almost as much about ecomy, y said.

According to AP VoteCast , a national survey of electorate, voters ranked pandemic and ecomy as top concerns.“It’s time for a different approach,” said Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former goverr who unseated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Coloro.Yet voters, for most part, stuck with status quo.

Securing Senate majority will be vital for winner of presidency. Senators confirm ministration minees, including for Cabinet, and can propel or stall White House nda. With Republicans w controlling chamber, 53-47, three or four seats will determine party control, depending on who wins presidency because vice president can break a tie in Senate.

final breakdown awaited outcome of races in Alaska, Georgia and rth Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has struggled against Democrat Cal Cunningham, despite married challenger’s sexting scandal with a public relations strategist.In Georgia, two seats were being contested and at least one is heed to a ruff after candidate reached 50% threshold to win.

GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warck, a Black pastor at church where Rev. Martin Lur King Jr. preached, in Jan. 5 ruff.In or Georgia race, GOP Sen. David Perdue, former business executive Trump calls his favorite senator, tried to stave off Democrat Jon Ossoff. It, too, could go to a ruff.

(Im Credit: AP) 

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