Republicans See Gains In Midterms, But ‘Red Wave’ Hopes Fade As Democrats Outperform

Republican candidates have managed to push ahead of Democrats in the midterms, but the predicted red wave appears to have turned out to be little more than a ripple…

As of the time of writing, Petr Svab reports at The Epoch Times that the GOP is still on track to take over the House of Representatives but may eke out only a razor-thin majority.

In the Senate, the balance of power is likely to remain unchanged with Democrats on an easier path to shore in at least 50 seats with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaker to keep them in control.

Republicans recorded the most striking success in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis fortified his mandate, swiping nearly 60 percent of the vote, up from less than 50 percent in 2018, when he secured victory by 0.4 percent.

“We made promises to the people of Florida and we have delivered on those promises. And so today, after four years, the people have delivered their verdict. Freedom is here to stay,” DeSantis said in his victory speech to a roaring crowd of supporters at the Tampa Convention Center on Nov. 8.

The governor contrasted conditions in the Sunshine State with that of the other parts of the country under Democratic control.

“We set out a vision we executed on that vision. And we produced historic results and the people of this state have responded in record fashion,” he said.

“Now, while our country flounders due to failed leadership in Washington, Florida is on the right track.”

Democrats were only able to defend eight House seats in Florida, compared to 11 two years ago.

In Ohio, JD Vance beat Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) for an open U.S. Senate seat. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” Vance told supporters in Columbus. “I cannot express possibly in words how grateful I am.”

“We need better leadership in Washington, D.C., and that’s exactly what I promise to fight for every single day,” he added.

In the rest of the country, however, it was largely Democrats overperforming.

Democrat Josh Shapiro defeated Republican Doug Mastriano by more than 11 points in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race.

Shapiro’s four-year term will lengthen Democrat rule in the executive office to 12 years. Current Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf is completing his second term. Eight years is the limit in Pennsylvania.

Shapiro, who is currently state Attorney General, will likely keep many of the policies Wolf has championed such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program that consumers are starting to notice through their higher energy bills.

Josh Shapiro speaks to supporters at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Democrats have also flipped governorships in Maryland and Massachusetts, though both states generally lean blue, making those seats ripe for an upset.

In Arizona, Republican Kari Lake is still holding on to the hope of closing the 11-point gap between her and Democrat Katie Hobbs as much of the vote remains to be counted.

With the race too close to call, Lake took the stage at 10 p.m. and told watch partygoers that she was ready to “fight to win,” and, even if it takes hours or days, she’s confident about her chances. She also said her campaign is getting results that in-person voting favored her.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (L) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R). (The Epoch Times)

In a bitter fight to the end, Hobbs and Lake blasted each other on the campaign trail and courted Arizona voters until Election Day. They also ran on wholly opposite views on how best to govern Arizona.

Democrat Governors of Kansas and Wisconsin, Laura Kelly and Tony Evers, have managed to keep their seats, but by less than 3 percentage points. Some votes in those states still remain to be counted.

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