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US midterm elections: Countdown to victory or tears as results begin trickle in after most expensive midterm election campaign ever US midterm elections: Countdown to victory or tears as results begin trickle in after most expensive midterm election campaign ever
(about 1 hour later)
Hearts are in mouths across the United States tonight as results trickle in after the most expensive midterm election cycle in history with the Republican Party in high hopes of seizing control of the US Senate and throwing a spanner into the last two years of President Barack Obama’s second term. Hearts are in mouths across the United States tonight as results trickle in after the most expensive midterm election cycle in history with the Republican Party holding high hopes of seizing control of the US Senate and throwing a spanner into the last two years of President Barack Obama’s second term.
In a first key projection tonight, media organisations including CNN and AP, predicted that the current Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, had won after a tight race in Kentucky against Alison Lundergan Grimes.  Kentucky had been considered one of the most important races of the night. The omens for Democrats looked poor and Americans were likely to wake up Wednesday morning to a country coloured more red than before and a White House more isolated.
The countdown to victory or tears was only just beginning in other key states, for example North Carolina and Georgia.  Historically, the governing party is punished in the midterms and there seemed little doubt Republicans would make gains, growing their majority in the House of Representatives and – most importantly of all - seeking to overturn the Democrat majority in the US Senate. In a first projection tonight, current Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, was projected to retain his US Senate seat in Kentucky after a tight race against Alison Lundergan Grimes.  Kentucky had been considered one of the most important races of the night.
If the Republican Party, also known as the GOP, indeed seizes the Senate, Mr McConnell should be set to become the Majority Leader.  He would displace Senator Harry Reid, who has been a key ally to President Barack Obama in Washington.  Mr McConnell would be set to become his powerful nemesis. Not long after, victory was projected for Tom Cotton, the 37-year-old Republican congressman from Arkansas, who will displace Mark Pryor, as a US Senator for Arkansas. Mr Pryor’s loss will be a big disappointment for Bill Clinton, who was governor of that state before he became president.
Democrats may also have been at a natural disadvantage because several of their incumbents facing re- The countdown to victory or tears was meanwhile grinding forward in other critical races, notably North Carolina, New Hampshire and Georgia. Historically, the governing party is punished in the midterms and there was no doubt Republicans would make gains, growing their majority in the House of Representatives and – most importantly - seeking to overturn the Democrat majority in the US Senate.
election were in Republican-leaning states but had managed to get elected in 2008 amidst the excitement of President Obama’s election to a first term in the White House.  Democrat seats in at least three states seemed certain to go Republican: West Virginia, Montana and South Dakota. Tension was rising fast in Florida, where early returns in the gubernatorial contest between Republican incumbent Rick Scott and his challenger, Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist, appeared excruciatingly close as ballots were counted.
However, races in roughly ten states were gauged too close to call last night and there was the added possibility of perhaps two Republican seats flipping Democrat or independent. There are in Georgia and also in Kansas, where independent Greg Orman is trying to unseat Senator Pat Roberts. If the Republican Party, also known as the GOP, indeed seizes the Senate, Mr McConnell will become the Majority Leader.  He would displace Senator Harry Reid, who has been a key ally to President Barack Obama in Washington.  Mr McConnell will now become his most potent nemesis. He will at the same time, however, have only two years to prove the Republicans can govern as sell as obstruct.
There will be suspense also in some of the 27 races for state governorships tonight, for example in Wisconsin where Scott Walker, sometimes considered a possibly presidential contender, faces possible extinction in the face of a strong Democrat challenger Mary Burke.  In Florida, Democrats will be urging on Charlie Crist, a one-time Republican now hoping to oust the incumbent Republican Rick Scott. Democrats may have been at a natural disadvantage because several of their incumbents facing re-election were in Republican-leaning states but had managed to get elected in 2008 amidst the excitement of President Obama’s ascent to the White House.  Democrat seats in at least three states seemed certain to go Republican: they are Montana and South Dakota.  In West Virginia a seat held by Democrats was projected to be the first Republican pick-up of the night with a win for Republican Shelley Capito.
However, races in roughly ten states were gauged too close to call last night and there was the added possibility of perhaps two Republican seats flipping Democrat or independent. They are in Georgia and also in Kansas, where independent Greg Orman is trying to unseat Senator Pat Roberts.
Beyond Florida, which will be at the heart of the 2016 presidential race, there were other closely watched contests for  governor, for example in Wisconsin where Scott Walker, a possibly presidential contender, faced possible extinction in the face of a strong Democrat challenger Mary Burke.  .
The election, however it finally shakes out, is sure to be cast as a referendum on President Obama who has seen his approval ratings shrink to nearly 40 per cent.  No other president with the exception of George W, Bush has gone into a midterm cycle with such a poor score-card with the country’s voters.The election, however it finally shakes out, is sure to be cast as a referendum on President Obama who has seen his approval ratings shrink to nearly 40 per cent.  No other president with the exception of George W, Bush has gone into a midterm cycle with such a poor score-card with the country’s voters.
Ominously, exit polls tonight show 34 per cent of the electorate casting the votes as an expression of their opposition to his policies in the White House.Ominously, exit polls tonight show 34 per cent of the electorate casting the votes as an expression of their opposition to his policies in the White House.
In a Connecticut radio interview vtoday, Mr Obama seemed to accept the night ahead looked bad for his party but tried to blame it on the fact of so many vulnerable Democrat senators being up for re-election at once.  “This is probably the worst possible group of states for Democrats since Dwight Eisenhower,” he contended.  “There are a lot of states that are being contested where they just tend to tilt Republican.”In a Connecticut radio interview vtoday, Mr Obama seemed to accept the night ahead looked bad for his party but tried to blame it on the fact of so many vulnerable Democrat senators being up for re-election at once.  “This is probably the worst possible group of states for Democrats since Dwight Eisenhower,” he contended.  “There are a lot of states that are being contested where they just tend to tilt Republican.”
In another interview on Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden created panic in the headquarters of Mr Orman in Kansas saying he expected him to vote with the Democrats should he come to Washington.  Mr Orman has striven to avoid any show of loyalty to either party but the Republicans seized on Mr Biden’s remarks even as Kansans were going to the polls to cast Mr Orman as an Obama lackey.In another interview on Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden created panic in the headquarters of Mr Orman in Kansas saying he expected him to vote with the Democrats should he come to Washington.  Mr Orman has striven to avoid any show of loyalty to either party but the Republicans seized on Mr Biden’s remarks even as Kansans were going to the polls to cast Mr Orman as an Obama lackey.
A bad night for the Democrats will switch the spotlight instantly to Mr Obama and how he responds.  There will be calls for a shake-up of his inner circle.  A more pugnacious response, however, would be for the president to honour his promise to take executive action on immigration, action that he put off while the midterm elections were being fought.