Now it’s official: Democrats have control of the US Senate. That’s why it matters.
Four days after tens of millions of Americans went to the polls, Catherine Cortez Masto’s narrow victory in Nevada on Saturday night (11/13) finally concluded the national political battle.
Democrats now top 49 in the upper house of Congress with 50 senators. Even if the Republicans win the remaining Senate race in Georgia, Vice President Kamala Harris could cast a tie-breaking vote.
Of course, that’s been the case for the past two years—but that paves the way for President Joe Biden to spend another two years filling federal courts with his nominees and appointing those he sees fit into his administration.
More importantly, if a Supreme Court seat becomes vacant due to unexpected retirement or the death of a judge, Republicans will not be able to veto Biden’s election.
Democrats remember how then-Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell blocked Barack Obama’s nomination in 2016.
The Nevada victory means the Georgia Senate runoff on December 6 is no longer an important race to determine control of the House.
But Biden said it was “better” for the Democrats to get 51 seats. The extra margin will certainly make it easier to rule a majority and will also help in 2024, when the party will have more risky seats to defend.
While not certain, there is still the possibility that Republicans control the House of Representatives by a weak majority, bringing a series of headaches to the president.
The legislative agenda has sunk and a more aggressive Republic control must be maintained, but even this has an advantage – if they cannot effectively govern political opponents due to internal disagreements.
The results of this by-election result that defies history are still being analyzed.
Joe Biden’s position within his party has strengthened. His advisers now speak with more confidence about his intention to serve a second term as president. His former rivals, such as Liberal Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, are lauded.
“This victory belongs to Joe Biden,” he said on Sunday. “The President’s leadership has put us in a good position to talk about what the Democrats stand for and what we’re doing – all candidates at the ballot box.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s political future has suffered, but it’s not yet clear how long that will last.
A day after the Democrats win the Senate and continue to win races in the House of Representatives, some Republicans are getting in front of the cameras to put the blame directly on Donald Trump.
However, they are the same people who have regularly criticized the former president in the past.
Senator Bill Cassidy, who said Trump-backed candidates “underperformed” in the midterm elections, voted to convict the former president in his second impeachment trial.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said the former president cost Republicans in the last election.
The real test will be whether longtime Trump allies—such as South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus members, or prominent Republican governors—will turn against him.
Will they find other things to do when Trump holds a rally in their state? Will they shut up if he runs for president? Will they risk Trump’s wrath if they don’t support him enough?
According to recent reports, the former president’s allies are pressing Republicans interested in leadership positions in Congress to publicly support Trump’s presidential aspirations.
One of them, Congressman Elise Stefanik from New York, has already done just that. If more people do the same, it could be an indication that, despite recent events, ambitious Republican politicians are on their way to success with the ex-president’s approval.
The political landscape looks quite different than it did just a week ago. Democrats feel more secure as Republicans struggle to regain their footing.
But given the uncertain nature of American politics these days, there’s no guarantee that the landscape won’t change again before long.
source: Noticias
