For a campaign that descended into crass cheap shots and description of people’s posteriors, neither President Donald Trump nor his Republican party knew what was coming. American people did exactly what their President asked them to: pretend he was on the ballot. But the difference was that the common folks who turned out in strength did not “pretend.” They actually placed President Trump on the ballot, and the result was something even the most liberal pundits have not expected. Waves or tsunamis are perhaps an understatement.
Even the most optimistic in the Republican camp will find it hard to explain the outcome of November 3. And to pawn it off on the Iran War as THE issue that defined the results will be met by a big yawn. Yes, the conflict in the Middle East did matter as it hit Americans in the wallet by way of rising inflation, high prices of gasoline and groceries, not to speak of higher mortgage rates. But the bottom line was something much different: the total alienation of demographic groups by the roughshod unleashed by enforcement authorities pretending to be carrying out orders.
The full extent of the political damage to the Grand Old Party will take a few more days as some results are still being tabulated. But Democrats are clearly on the top and celebrating. At the time of writing the party has wrested control of the House of Representatives and has at least 240 seats and expecting to add some 15 to 20 more. In the Senate, Democrats not only held their own but flipped seven seats for a total of 54 members with Alaska and Mississippi yet to be finalized.
The State Houses have gone the way of Democrats and in some instances the super-majorities have been shown the door. And Democrats are now in some 28 Governor’s Mansions, the notable additions being in Texas and Ohio. In particular President Trump’s close friend Vivek Ramaswamy who fell for a mistaken advice that cheap and humiliating theatrics will get him votes. Instead of pulling down an offensive advertisement but encouraged by the President to keep it on—with a helping hand from another Ohioan Vice President J.D. Vance—Ramaswamy must have alienated women, especially those who have silently suffered and endured abuse as a child.
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By far the shocker must have been Texas which saw a total collapse of the Republican machinery starting with the loss of Governor Greg Abbot, a one-time close ally of President Trump but now on the receiving end for being a RINO, Republican In Name Only. For a long time, the White House was advised to keep Senator John Cornyn on the ticket, but President Trump had other ideas. He dissed the well respected and professional Cornyn and backed Ken Paxton who was clearly rejected by Texans. In the Longhorn State, Republicans paid the price from Hispanics and minority groups for insensitive and racist social media posts by state officials humiliating not just immigrants and H1B visa holders but for just being “Brown.”
The Republican saga goes much beyond Texas and Ohio for Democrats made deep inroads into other deep red states like Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina. The loss of South Carolina must especially be painful as the State had been staunchly Republican since the time Senator Strom Thurmond left the Democratic Party in 1964. Senior Republican strategists had been warning the White House in the candidacy of Darlene Graham, the sister of Senator Lindsey Graham who died suddenly. President Trump persuaded and pressured the younger Graham to just not be a fill-in but run permanently for her brother’s seat even if she had felt uncomfortable as a political novice.
Slowly but surely the blame game has started as only to be expected. And the first place for a start is on issues that have led to the poll debacle. Naturally the temptation is to lay it all on the Iran War as the Vice President Vance has done. The President agrees but only that the war played a “little bit” of a role; and that he is ready for it all over again! Slowly mumbling has come about on individuals like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the choice of candidates, but only feebly laying it on the doorsteps of the White House. Yet to unfold on the frontal attacks on policies and personnel choices that had led to the outright mess.
Republican political managers and elders know full well that it is going to take a long time to get back a working majority in the Senate with having lost seven members, possibly nine. In nursing the wounds of November 3, the Republican leadership is also aware of the short-term challenge in finding Minority Leaders in the House and Senate, the scramble for which is said to be already underway in the House. Between now and January 3, 2027, when the new members take their seats, there could be a desire to rush as many legislations as possible given the current majorities, that is if members who have lost their re-election bids are inclined to travel back to Washington DC next week.
In all the noise made out of the wipeout of the Grand Old Party in the mid-terms, there is also a sober realization that President Trump still has two years left in office. He has said that he is willing to work with Democrats instead of going about the remaining tenure with Executive Orders. Democrats too have a major challenge on their hands—how to effectively manage the recent mandate and put it to good use in the Presidential and Congressional elections of 2028. Insisting on responsibility and accountability of officials is one thing but going on wild witch hunting exercises is something that will hurt the party.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
