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Democrats shellacked again in 2014 midterms
1:11 am
President Obama called it a “shellacking” when Republicans took control of the House in 2010. The president will have to find a new way to describe the rebuke he received at the polls on Tuesday.
Republicans took control of the Senate, picking up at least seven seats held by Democrats. Sen. Mark Begich (D) still faces a tough race in Alaska and in Louisiana, Republicans could pick up another seat in a Dec. 6 runoff.
The GOP is also projected to make historic gains in the House, picking up between 14 and 18 House seats. That could give the party its biggest House majority since the 1920s.
The GOP also had a great night in gubernatorial races, winning close races in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida and pulling off victories in deep blue states like Maine, Massachusetts, and Maryland.
Obama’s unpopularity ultimately doomed Democrats. Preliminary exit polls showed that most voters cast their ballot as a referendum on the president. One third said they voted to express opposition to Obama, while just under two in ten said they voted to support him.
Vulnerable incumbents running in red states like North Carolina’s Kay Hagan and Arkansas’ Mark Pryor distanced themselves from the president but ultimately lost. And Obama’s campaign stops for gubernatorial candidates in Illinois and Maryland didn’t pay off.
The one saving grace for Democrats is that voters also have a negative view of Republicans, according to exit polls. While this election may have been a Republican wave, it’s not necessarily a mandate for their policy agenda.
Even though the Senate has shifted hands, don’t expect much to change in Washington over the next two years. Republicans in the Senate haven’t spelled out their agenda yet, but expect more conflict and gridlock between the GOP and Obama leading up to the 2016 presidential elections
What does the election rout mean for Obama’s promised immigration fixes?
12:21 am
What does the election rout mean for Obama’s promised immigration fixes?
President Obama vowed to take action to reform immigration policy after midterm elections. Now that Democrats have taken a drubbing from Republicans, will that change the president’s agenda?
The White House hasn’t said specifically what types of actions it would take, but activists involved in discussions believe that deportation relief for millions of people had been on the table.
The question will certainly be front and center tomorrow morning. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a vocal proponent of immigration reform in Congress, will hold a press conference tomorrow morning. So will Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO.
Don’t expect any immediate answers from the president, but he’ll be on the spot.
Democrats suffer midterm bloodbath
11:24 pm
Can we call it a wave election yet?
Republicans needed to flip six seats to take control of the Senate. It looks like they will surpass that total.
So far, the GOP has taken five seats from Democrats: Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, West Virginia, and Arkansas. Democrats also failed to pick up GOP seats in Kansas, Kentucky, and Georgia, which could have cut off a Republican path to victory.
Republicans could pad their impending majority by picking up two more seats from Democrats in Iowa and North Carolina, where Joni Ernst (R) and Thom Tillis (R) are leading Bruce Braley (D) and Kay Hagan (D). In Virginia, incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is in an unexpectedly close race with Ed Gillespie.
On top of all that, a month from now Republicans could unseat Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) in a runoff on Dec. 6.
Marijuana legalization passes in Washington, D.C.
11:19 pm
A measure to legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana will win in Washington, D.C., according to analysis by NPR and USA Today.
The new law will undergo a review by Congress, which means it could take several months before it actually goes into effect.
Under the law, D.C. residents will be able to possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants. Read all about it here.
1:11 am
President Obama called it a “shellacking” when Republicans took control of the House in 2010. The president will have to find a new way to describe the rebuke he received at the polls on Tuesday.
Republicans took control of the Senate, picking up at least seven seats held by Democrats. Sen. Mark Begich (D) still faces a tough race in Alaska and in Louisiana, Republicans could pick up another seat in a Dec. 6 runoff.
The GOP is also projected to make historic gains in the House, picking up between 14 and 18 House seats. That could give the party its biggest House majority since the 1920s.
The GOP also had a great night in gubernatorial races, winning close races in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida and pulling off victories in deep blue states like Maine, Massachusetts, and Maryland.
Obama’s unpopularity ultimately doomed Democrats. Preliminary exit polls showed that most voters cast their ballot as a referendum on the president. One third said they voted to express opposition to Obama, while just under two in ten said they voted to support him.
Vulnerable incumbents running in red states like North Carolina’s Kay Hagan and Arkansas’ Mark Pryor distanced themselves from the president but ultimately lost. And Obama’s campaign stops for gubernatorial candidates in Illinois and Maryland didn’t pay off.
The one saving grace for Democrats is that voters also have a negative view of Republicans, according to exit polls. While this election may have been a Republican wave, it’s not necessarily a mandate for their policy agenda.
Even though the Senate has shifted hands, don’t expect much to change in Washington over the next two years. Republicans in the Senate haven’t spelled out their agenda yet, but expect more conflict and gridlock between the GOP and Obama leading up to the 2016 presidential elections
What does the election rout mean for Obama’s promised immigration fixes?
12:21 am
What does the election rout mean for Obama’s promised immigration fixes?
President Obama vowed to take action to reform immigration policy after midterm elections. Now that Democrats have taken a drubbing from Republicans, will that change the president’s agenda?
The White House hasn’t said specifically what types of actions it would take, but activists involved in discussions believe that deportation relief for millions of people had been on the table.
The question will certainly be front and center tomorrow morning. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a vocal proponent of immigration reform in Congress, will hold a press conference tomorrow morning. So will Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO.
Don’t expect any immediate answers from the president, but he’ll be on the spot.
Democrats suffer midterm bloodbath
11:24 pm
Can we call it a wave election yet?
Republicans needed to flip six seats to take control of the Senate. It looks like they will surpass that total.
So far, the GOP has taken five seats from Democrats: Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, West Virginia, and Arkansas. Democrats also failed to pick up GOP seats in Kansas, Kentucky, and Georgia, which could have cut off a Republican path to victory.
Republicans could pad their impending majority by picking up two more seats from Democrats in Iowa and North Carolina, where Joni Ernst (R) and Thom Tillis (R) are leading Bruce Braley (D) and Kay Hagan (D). In Virginia, incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is in an unexpectedly close race with Ed Gillespie.
On top of all that, a month from now Republicans could unseat Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) in a runoff on Dec. 6.
Marijuana legalization passes in Washington, D.C.
11:19 pm
A measure to legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana will win in Washington, D.C., according to analysis by NPR and USA Today.
The new law will undergo a review by Congress, which means it could take several months before it actually goes into effect.
Under the law, D.C. residents will be able to possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants. Read all about it here.
