https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/271873/blue-ripple-matthew-vadum
Republicans strengthened their hold on the U.S. Senate last night even as they failed to resist a wave in midterm congressional elections that gave Democrats hellbent on derailing President Trump’s agenda control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years.
Barring a revolt in the newly expanded cohort of House Democrats, this means the increasingly frail Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California will return as Speaker of the House. The 116th Congress convenes Jan. 3, 2019.
“Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans, it’s about restoring the Constitution’s checks and balances to the Trump administration,” said the House minority leader.
“It’s about stopping the GOP and Mike—Mitch—McConnell’s assaults on Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the health care of 130 million Americans living with pre-existing medical conditions.”
Then the 78-year-old, who frequently appears confused during public appearances, pumped her fist in the air and strangely remarked, “Let’s hear it more for preexisting medical conditions!”
Pelosi has gone against her party’s base by saying pursuing the impeachment of President Trump is a terrible idea.
A crowd of Republicans and Trump supporters at the Trump International Hotel in the nation’s capital were surprisingly conciliatory towards Democrats. They gently booed Pelosi when she appeared on television to make a victory speech but offered polite applause after that when she urged Americans to come together following a hotly contested campaign.
Trump said little about the half-victory in the midterm elections.
“Tremendous success tonight[,]” Trump tweeted Nov. 6 at 11:14 p.m. “Thank you to all!”
Going into Election Day, Republicans held 236 seats, Democrats held 193 seats, and six seats were vacant in the 435-seat House of Representatives. Republicans held 51 seats in the Senate compared to the 49 held by Democrats (including the two seats held by Independents Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine who caucus with the Democrats).
But it now appears Republicans are likely to occupy at least 54 seats in the incoming 100-seat Senate and Democrats will easily exceed the 218-seat threshold needed for House control.