US President Joe Biden welcomed Wednesday a “good day for democracy” in the aftermath of the midterm elections where the Democrats resisted better than expected against the Republicans.
“We had an election yesterday. And it was a good day, I think, for democracy, “said the Democratic president during a press conference at the White House welcoming a ballot that took place” apparently without interference “.
“While the press and experts predicted a giant red wave, it did not happen,” he added, while acknowledging the “frustration” of many voters with inflation in particular.
The Democratic leader also said he was “ready to work with the Republican opposition”, claiming to be open to all “good ideas”.
More than fifteen hours after the closing of the last polling stations, the United States was still waiting to know the fate of several decisive and disputed polls such as in Arizona or Nevada.
But Republicans were well positioned to narrowly take control of the House of Representatives, while the Senate remained in abeyance.
Cautious, the major US media were careful not to announce their projections for control of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives, the majority standing at 218.
“Disappointing” says Trump
The “red wave” expected by the Republicans, in the House of Representatives in particular, did not take place, undoubtedly depriving Donald Trump of a springboard in his desire to reconquer the White House.
Silent all morning, the former president made a rare grateful admission on his social network of the “somewhat disappointing” results.
Many of his lieutenants were beaten. And one of his potential rivals for the Republican nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, 44, stole the show.
Re-elected triumphantly, the latter assured that he was only “starting the fight”.
The Republican tenor Kevin McCarthy, who should in the event of victory become the next president of the lower house, succeeding Nancy Pelosi, wanted to be confident.
“It is clear that we are going to take over the House of Representatives,” he assured on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
If they win, the Republicans have already announced the color: they will try to tear up Joe Biden’s program, on climate change or the law on inflation for example, and have promised to open investigations into his management of power.
The Senate goes into overtime
In the Senate, where the Democrats held a very slim majority before the election, it will surely take several days, even several weeks, before a majority emerges.
Arizona and Nevada were yet to be decided as of 4:00 p.m. EST.
And in Georgia, as in 2020, voters will go into overtime with none of the candidates, pastor Raphael Warnock, outgoing senator, and former American football star Herschel Walker, having crossed the 50% mark of the vote.
A new ballot is already scheduled for December 6.
The Democratic camp of the 79-year-old president did not hide his satisfaction at having more than saved the furniture, even if he will have to deal with a Congress that promises to be divided.
The Democrats thus snatched from the Republicans one of the most disputed seats in this ballot, in Pennsylvania, won by John Fetterman.
This relentless campaign was centered in particular on inflation, which emerged as the main concern of Americans according to polls taken from the polls.
Not faked
As for the state governors, after having snatched two posts from the Republicans, in Maryland and Massachusetts, the Democratic camp had not said its last word either in Arizona, where the outcome of the race between the Trumpist Kari Lake, given favorite, and Democrat Katie Hobbs remained unknown.
The elections in this state were not rigged, despite the technical problems encountered by some electoral machines, local authorities insisted on Wednesday, warning that the final results would not be known for several days.
In addition, abortion rights advocates rejoiced on Wednesday to have recorded “historic” victories in the midterm elections in the United States, including in the very conservative state of Kentucky.
Many commentators observed, in the end, that despite fears before the vote of irregularities and even violence, the ballot went off without a hitch.
“Eventually the Americans will come together, I hope, as we always do,” wanted to believe Gina Tarantino, a 55-year-old voter in New York.