HOUSE GETS SWATHED IN DEEP SHADE OF BLUE
Democrats turned the U.S. House a deep shade of blue last night in a midterm election reversal that lands Massachusetts lawmakers in key positions of power.
But Republicans solidified their grip on the Senate, which means the Capitol will be divided next year, likely signaling that gridlock will keep lawmakers from passing significant legislation.
The election was a mixed bag for President Trump, who campaigned hard for several Senate candidates that ended up winning. But he could face a slew of investigations and even possibly impeachment proceedings in the newly-Democratic House.
The Democratic takeover of the House was largely fueled by victories in suburban districts in states like Texas and Virginia, where
women voters sided by a large margin with Democratic candidates.
Trump himself loomed as a major figure in the election, as exit polls showed that two-thirds of voters showed up at the polls because of the president. And 55 percent of voters disapproved of Trump’s job performance.
But Trump also can crow about helping GOP candidates in states like Florida, where Republicans won the U.S. Senate seat and the governor’s seat, and in Texas, where Trump stumped for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who narrowly defeated Democratic superstar Beto O’Rourke.
And some analysts believe that a Democratic takeover of the House will help Trump, giving him a tailor-made enemy to cam- paign against in the 2020 election.
The House takeover puts Massachusetts lawmakers like U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal in position to seize control of several key committees. McGovern is in line to become chairman of the Rules Committee, which controls the flow of legislation in the House, while Neal is expected to take over Ways and Means. U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch and Bill Keating also will get chairmanships of influential subcommittees.
McGovern told Boston Herald Radio last night he thinks it would be a “mistake” for Democrats to focus on impeachment, and believes it’s important to “change the tone” in Washington.
“We need to change the way the House of Representatives is run,” McGovern said, adding that he hopes Democrats will push bills on infrastructure improvements and making prescription drugs more affordable.
McGovern also said he plans to reach out to Republicans and will “respect the minority” — a change from the way the House is being run now.
As for impeachment, McGovern said: “Look, I’m not a fan of this president but … people need to wait and see what happens with the Mueller investigation.”
McGovern said he plans to vote for current Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for House Speaker. But Pelosi could face resistance from newly-elected lawmakers who want change.