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Democrats maintain control of Senate, NBC News projects, defeating many Trump-backed Republicans

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  jbb  •  2 years ago  •  53 comments

By:   Alex Seitz-Wald (NBC News)

Democrats maintain control of Senate, NBC News projects, defeating many Trump-backed Republicans
Democrats defied historical trends and defeated several candidates backed by former President Donald Trump to keep control of the Senate, providing enormous

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



Link copied Nov. 13, 2022, 2:15 AM UTC / Updated Nov. 13, 2022, 4:13 AM UTC By Alex Seitz-Wald

WASHINGTON — Democrats defied historical trends and defeated several candidates backed by former President Donald Trump to keep control of the Senate, providing enormous relief for President Joe Biden.

The battle for the House, meanwhile, remains too close to call.

The picture in the Senate became clear late Saturday after Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt to win re-election, putting her party over the threshold, NBC News projected Saturday.

"Thank you, Nevada!" Cortez Masto said in a tweet Saturday evening after its two most populous counties, Clark and Washoe, finished counting mail-in ballots.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona won his re-election contest in Arizona, NBC News projected Friday evening, directing all eyes to Nevada. Both Laxalt and Masters were endorsed by Trump and promoted his false claims about the presidential race he lost.

"I feel good for the country. Because so many people worried — I did — about this democracy," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference late Saturday. "America showed that we believe in our democracy. That the roots of our democracy are deep and strong. And that it will prevail as long as we fight for it."

He added that Republicans were hampered by "flawed challengers who had no faith in democracy, no fidelity to the truth or honor."

Masto's victory means Democrats will hold the Senate regardless of the outcome of Georgia's Dec. 6 runoff election, when Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker will face each other again after neither cleared the 50% threshold required under state law.

A Walker win would keep the Senate 50-50, where Vice President Kamala Harris casts the tie-breaking vote for Democrats.

A Warnock victory would make it 51-49, giving Democrats one extra vote in a chamber where they have often been stymied by internal dissent from members like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Biden can now count on partners in the Senate to confirm his judicial and administration appointments, even if his legislative agenda ends up effectively blocked because of a Republican takeover of the House.

"I feel good and I'm looking forward to the next couple years," Biden told reporters, reacting to the Senate result at close to 11 a.m. local time in Cambodia where the president is attending a summit of world leaders. He credited the quality of the candidates and said they were all "running on the same program."

Addressing whether Democrats can keep control of the House, Biden said it's "perilously close," adding, "we can win it, but whether we're going to win it remains to be seen."

The White House said Biden called first Cortez Masto and then Schumer from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to congratulate them.

Republicans headed into Tuesday's election confident a "red wave" would sweep them into power in the Senate and give them a commanding majority in the House.

As it became clear that neither would materialize, conservative leaders and media figures began pointing fingers and blaming each other for the surprising defeat — with Trump, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy all facing backlash.

"The old party is dead. Time to bury it. Build something new," Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley tweeted after it became clear his party had lost hope of retaking the Senate.

The president's party typically loses ground in Congress during the first midterm elections as Americans seek to put a check on power. But weak GOP candidates and voter concern about issues like abortion rights and election denialism galvanized the Democratic base and turned off swing voters in states that might have been winnable for Republicans under different circumstances.

Republicans needed to net only a single seat to retake the Senate.

Instead, Democrats won the only Senate seat that changed party, when Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman defeated Republican celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz to win the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

In all other competitive races, incumbents were re-elected or retiring senators were replaced by members of their own party.

The close nature of the decisive Senate contests — and a House of Representatives still up in the air - reflect the stark division in the country, fueled in recent years by political, demographic and technological changes that have pushed Americans into more strident and homogenous camps.

The NBC News Exit Poll portrayed an electorate that is deeply dissatisfied with the state of the country and concerned about its future.

Three-quarters of Americans said the economy was "not good" or "poor." Almost half said their personal finances are worse off than they were two years ago. And almost three-quarters reported being "dissatisfied" or "angry" about the way things are going. Just 5% said they were enthusiastic.

Biden is broadly unpopular, with just 36% saying his policies are helping the country, even among Democratic-leaning groups, like Latinos and voters under 30.

A broad majority of voters (70%) said they believe democracy is "threatened." Nearly two-thirds of Republicans (66%) said they do not believe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election.

Most voters said they were disappointed or angry about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. And 60% said abortion should be legal in most cases.

Democrats and abortion rights supporters were galvanized after Tuesday's results.

Ballot measures to support abortion rights won in Michigan, California and Vermont, while an anti-abortion measure on the ballot in Kansas was defeated, NBC News projects. In Montana, voters rejected a measure that would force "medical care to be provided for any infant born alive after an attempted abortion, induced labor, or other method."

alex-seitz-wald-circle-byline-template.jpg Alex Seitz-Wald

Alex Seitz-Wald is senior digital politics reporter for NBC News.


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JBB
Professor Principal
1  seeder  JBB    2 years ago

Democrats Hold Senate. Red wave was a ripple!

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1  Vic Eldred  replied to  JBB @1    2 years ago

It wasn't even a ripple. It's questionable that Republicans can even take the House. 

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
1.1.1  seeder  JBB  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1    2 years ago

Considering their lack of plans and ugly rhetoric the gop was lucky it was not worse. The gop campaigned on hate, lies and fear!

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.2  Vic Eldred  replied to  JBB @1.1.1    2 years ago
Considering their lack of plans and ugly rhetoric the gop was lucky it was not worse.

It is worse. I don't even think they can take the House at this point.


 The gop campaigned on hate, lies and fear!

Projection: All of that came from Biden and evidently it is the formula for success. I don't think people realize how monstrous a victory this was for the ruling party. 

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
1.1.3  seeder  JBB  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.2    2 years ago

You've got it all wrong,  again. The voters rejected Trump and Trumpism for good...

original

 
 
 
Thrawn 31
Professor Guide
1.1.4  Thrawn 31  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.2    2 years ago

Come on Vic, you are seriously going to sit there and pretend that the GOP is blameless in the hate game? This is why I don’t take you seriously, because you aren’t a serious person. 

But yes, this election cycle was an absolute humiliation for the GOP, and really just shows that they can’t do much of anything effectively anymore. I mean they haven’t been able to govern for years and years now, but apparently they cannot even effectively campaign anymore even with literally everything being in their favor. 

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
1.1.5  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  JBB @1.1.3    2 years ago

I hope that you are right. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.6  Vic Eldred  replied to  Thrawn 31 @1.1.4    2 years ago

The comments right here demonstrate where the hate eminates from. We heard it from the president. His base responded.

 
 
 
MrFrost
Professor Expert
1.1.7  MrFrost  replied to  JBB @1.1.1    2 years ago
The gop campaigned on hate, lies and fear!

Well that's nothing new. 

 
 
 
MrFrost
Professor Expert
1.1.8  MrFrost  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.2    2 years ago

Every Republican election denier lost. That should tell you all you need to know. The GOP defeated itself by embracing radicals and extremists. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.9  Vic Eldred  replied to  MrFrost @1.1.8    2 years ago

The other side of that is: just about every incumbent won.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.10  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.9    2 years ago

But is it significant to you that the election deniers did poorly?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.11  Vic Eldred  replied to  TᵢG @1.1.10    2 years ago

Not in the way you might understand.

Let me try and explain it to you:  Stacey Abrams lost. She was what you might call "an election denier."  If I'm a Republican citizen of Georgia, I would be voting for Brian Kemp because I prefer his policies & his record as Governor to her policies. The fact that she didn't concede the previous election would have no bearing in my thought process. On the other hand, if i'm a Georgia democrat who agrees with her vision, I'm voting for her despite her stand on the last election. It should only be about the issues.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.12  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.11    2 years ago

Well, then let me see if I can explain the point I made since you missed it.

'Election deniers' today refers to those who support Trump's claim of a rigged 2020 presidential election.

Those who deny Trump's legitimate loss have provided voters with an excellent litmus test on integrity.   If the question is: "can we trust this candidate?", anyone who would parrot Trump's election denial clearly is at the low end of trustworthiness and will say pretty much anything if they think it will gain them votes.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.13  Vic Eldred  replied to  TᵢG @1.1.12    2 years ago
 If the question is: "can we trust this candidate?", anyone who would parrot Trump's election denial clearly is at the low end of trustworthiness and will say pretty much anything if they think it will gain them votes.

Is there any need for us to repeat what we both just said?

I vote on issues and you vote on character.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.14  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.13    2 years ago

I vote on issues, but not exclusively.

Where we differ is that I require some modicum of integrity whereas you will vote for someone who tried to steal a US presidential election through outrageous lies, frivolous lawsuits, coercion, subornation, and incitement.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.15  Vic Eldred  replied to  TᵢG @1.1.14    2 years ago

We will beat Trump in the primary. There are polls showing DeSantis beating him:




 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.16  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.15    2 years ago
We will beat Trump in the primary.

Hopefully.   But what would you do if Trump became the nominee?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.17  Vic Eldred  replied to  TᵢG @1.1.16    2 years ago

I've already told you. There is no way I can sit back and allow democrats to have power again.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.18  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.17    2 years ago

Yup, you would vote for Trump no matter what he has done without any concern that Trump cares about Trump and nobody else ... and that includes the USA and her citizens.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1.1.19  Vic Eldred  replied to  TᵢG @1.1.18    2 years ago

I would vote for Trump because of what Biden has done. Furthermore Trumpism, with or without Trump is what America needs!

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.1.20  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @1.1.19    2 years ago

The reason is irrelevant.   

You would vote to put Trump —given all he has done;  given all we know about what he cares about and what he will do to preserve his ego and retain power— back in office as PotUS.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
2  Tacos!    2 years ago
Democrats Maintain Control Of Senate
That smarts. 

One of these days, some Republicans are going to look around and say, “hey, maybe it’s us.” 

Maybe it’s time to just openly reject Trump. Maybe it’s time to stop making such a big deal about how people live their private lives. 

Maybe if the party actually became the party of liberty, financial responsibility, and a free economy (like it always claims to be), it might win more elections.
Apparently, today is not that day, but I hope it comes soon.
 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
2.1  pat wilson  replied to  Tacos! @2    2 years ago
Maybe it’s time to just openly reject Trump.

That should have obvious when he was recorded saying it was acceptable to grab women's genitals. But no, his sycophants lapped that up.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
2.2  sandy-2021492  replied to  Tacos! @2    2 years ago

It's easier to claim rigged elections, focus on only Second Amendment liberties (the others not being nearly as important, apparently), demand pure capitalism (but subsidize the corporations they like), and demonize anyone who disagrees as Socialist or Communist.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
2.3  evilone  replied to  Tacos! @2    2 years ago
Maybe if the party actually became the party of liberty, financial responsibility, and a free economy (like it always claims to be), it might win more elections.

Then they would win back my vote.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4  Vic Eldred  replied to  Tacos! @2    2 years ago

Maybe it's time to admit the Republicans never had an easy map for the Senate in 2022. They had to defend & protect all of 21 seats while picking off some of the democrats 14 seats that were up for election. The fact that it didn't happen shouldn't be a big surprise. In 2024 the Senate map will favor Republicans. We shall see how that goes.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
2.4.1  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4    2 years ago

I can't prove it, but David McCormick might have beaten Oz in PA.  McCormick served as an Army Officer, has a Ph.D. in international affairs from Princeton. He was the CEO of an investment management firm, and under secretary in both the Department of Commerce and Department of the Treasury. 

Chuck Morse, NH State Senate President was endorsed by Gov Sununu.  Gov Sununu easily won his 4th term by 15.5 points.

Sam Brown, severely wounded in Afghanistan, had grassroots support in Nevada. He might have been more competitive than Laxalt. 

Candidates matter and Trump picked poorly.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4.2  Vic Eldred  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @2.4.1    2 years ago
I can't prove it, but David McCormick might have beaten Oz in PA.

But McCormick wasn't against fracking... was he?  How does one who is against fracking win in PA?


Chuck Morse, NH State Senate President was endorsed by Gov Sununu.  Gov Sununu easily won his 4th term by 15.5 points.

The name Sununu is golden in NH. The GOP tried in vain to get Sununu to run for the US Senate.


Sam Brown, severely wounded in Afghanistan, had grassroots support in Nevada. He might have been more competitive than Laxalt. 

Maybe.  Maybe Laxalt could have used sustained financial support as well?


Candidates matter and Trump picked poorly.

I believe something else is at play when people vote against their own interests.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
2.4.3  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4.2    2 years ago
But McCormick wasn't against fracking... was he?

Did he propose new restrictions? 

How does one who is against fracking win in PA?

Fetterman did.

 The GOP tried in vain to get Sununu to run for the US Senate.

He didn't like the absence of a Repub Senate agenda.

Maybe Laxalt could have used sustained financial support as well?

Yes, he raised about 30% of what Masto did.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4.4  Vic Eldred  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @2.4.3    2 years ago
Did he propose new restrictions? 

No.


Fetterman did.

That's what seems so incredulous.


He didn't like the absence of a Repub Senate agenda.

He told Fox News that he preferred being able to get things done in NH.


Yes, he raised about 30% of what Masto did.

Who do we blame for that?

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
2.4.5  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4.4    2 years ago
Who do we blame for that?

I don't know.  I read that in the first half of oct, Masto raised $3.9M in small-dollar donations while Laxalt raised just $700,000 from those.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
2.4.6  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4    2 years ago
Maybe it's time to admit the Republicans never had an easy map for the Senate in 2022.

Rationalization is a great way to miss the facts of reality and live in a fantasy.   That is never good.   It is much better to honestly accept reality and then work to make your desired changes (in reality).

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4.7  Vic Eldred  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @2.4.5    2 years ago

Two races raise questions about the way Mitch McConnell spent money from his $100 Million Senate Leadership fund. McConnell didn't do nearly enough for Blake Masters, yet spent 6 Million in a race in Alaska between two Republicans.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
2.4.8  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4.7    2 years ago

Perhaps Trump's Super Pac should have made up the difference.  

The Senate Leadership Fund spent around $205M this year.  

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
2.4.9  Tacos!  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4    2 years ago

I think the notion that Republicans were predicting some kind of “Red Tsunami” is unfair and overblown. For every quote that optimistic, there are plenty more that predicted both the Senate and House contests would be close.

Maybe it's time to admit the Republicans never had an easy map for the Senate in 2022.

It needs to be about more than the map. Representatives need to actually represent what the people want and believe. I think there is ample support for the qualities I listed, but elected Republicans - while preaching those values - don’t often practice them.

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
2.4.10  seeder  JBB  replied to  Tacos! @2.4.9    2 years ago

Let me refer you to Vic's comment history.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
2.4.11  Tacos!  replied to  JBB @2.4.10    2 years ago

I’m trying to cut back on the porn.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
2.4.12  devangelical  replied to  Tacos! @2.4.11    2 years ago

set up more than 1 camera...

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
2.4.13  seeder  JBB  replied to  Tacos! @2.4.11    2 years ago

He is not the only one. My personal troll had been doing a victory dance to two solid years in anticipation of a HUGE gop win!

THE BIG RED WAVE was inevitable and unstoppable and we Dems were going to suffer and rue the day Trump got beat!

Of course without admitting Trump lost.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4.14  Vic Eldred  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @2.4.8    2 years ago

What will we ever do without him?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.4.15  Vic Eldred  replied to  Tacos! @2.4.9    2 years ago
For every quote that optimistic, there are plenty more that predicted both the Senate and House contests would be close.

There were just as many who said ignore polling and get out there and vote.


 I think there is ample support for the qualities I listed, but elected Republicans - while preaching those values - don’t often practice them.

The lection was supposed to be a rerendum on Biden. Either it wasn't or the insane have taken over the asylum.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
2.4.16  TᵢG  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4.15    2 years ago

It is very difficult to tease out the effects of each factor.   Biden's performance certainly was a factor but given the negative factors held by the GoP we cannot really tell (without a detailed poll) the negative strength of each factor.

Maybe Biden's performance is a major factor but the Trump negatives were strong enough to counter and thus diminish the effect.   Maybe the SCotUS decision was so negative that it overshadowed Biden's performance.

My own view is that the GoP's continued support of Trump is the most dominant factor.   I certainly would never vote for a candidate who continued to support Trump (especially if this supporter is also an election denier).   

I hope I am right because that suggests the electorate does indeed care about character and integrity.   The GoP should have (party out of power in midterms, inflation, Afghanistan, border, Biden's performance) secured a substantial majority in Congress.   Its failure to take the Senate and achieve at best a minor majority in the House shows that something is very wrong with the GoP.   I name that thing:  Trump.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
2.4.17  Tacos!  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.4.15    2 years ago
The lection was supposed to be a rerendum on Biden.

Elections are not that simple. Any vote requires a two-part analysis. 1) Do I like this candidate? 2) How does he compare to the guy he’s running against?

We had a few state races this time around, where I looked at a candidate and thought, “he’s not actually a very good choice, but his opponent would be a disaster.” So, I ended up voting for someone I didn’t really want. 

So getting back to Biden, I might not want to vote for him, but he is better than some other options. Hell, that’s how he got nominated, and then elected. It’s how Trump got elected.

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
3  TᵢG    2 years ago
"The old party is dead. Time to bury it. Build something new," Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley tweeted after it became clear his party had lost hope of retaking the Senate.

You, Hawley, are complicit in fucking up the GoP.    

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
4  Ender    2 years ago
Three-quarters of Americans said the economy was "not good" or "poor." Almost half said their personal finances are worse off than they were two years ago

Could have fooled me. The stores around here are packed.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
4.1  evilone  replied to  Ender @4    2 years ago

Every time I try to go out to eat there's a 45min to 60min wait time too. 

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
4.1.1  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  evilone @4.1    2 years ago

Damn that Early Bird Special line.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
4.1.2  Tacos!  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @4.1.1    2 years ago

jrSmiley_86_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
4.1.3  evilone  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @4.1.1    2 years ago
Damn that Early Bird Special line.

Does Ron Johnson have a point about fucking around with SS and Medicare?

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
4.2  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @4    2 years ago

Exactly, between stores, internet gambling and the recreationally economy, stories about the demise of the middle class are way overdone.

 
 
 
JBB
Professor Principal
4.2.1  seeder  JBB  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @4.2    2 years ago

Yes, it costs $2-3,000 a day for a family of 4 to attend Disneyland or a NFL game and yet the parks and stadiums are fully booked...

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
4.2.2  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  JBB @4.2.1    2 years ago

I think that a family of 4 (kids 10+) can fly to Orlando, Uber to Disney World, stay on site for 7 night at a medium grade hotel, spend 6 days at the parks, and eat well for $4,000.

NFL game depends on the venue but I think four of us could with parking, beer and hot dogs could get by on $500-$600 unless it was SF or the Giants.

 
 

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