Trump on midterms: ‘Tremendous success’
WASHINGTON — Staring down the potential loss of one-party control in Washington, President Donald Trump declared Tuesday’s election results a “tremendous success” for Republicans as his party maintained its hold on the Senate while Democrats picked up GOP-held seats in the House.
Trump waited until late in the night to weigh in on the midterm vote, tweeting a succinct message that overlooked expected Democratic gains in the House, writing: “Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!”
With results still coming in, Republicans had a chance to increase their majority in the Senate. Democrats were gaining speed in their quest for the House, which would give them the ability to launch investigations into the president and stymie his agenda.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders minimized likely Democratic gains.
“Maybe you get a ripple, but I certainly don’t think that there’s a blue wave,” she told reporters, pointing to several early Republican wins.
As for Republicans retaining control of the Senate, she called it “a huge moment and victory for the president.”
The White House has been stressing the historical headwinds it faced: In the last three decades, 2002 was the only midterm election when the party holding the White House gained Senate seats. And only twice in the past eight decades has the president’s party picked up House seats in the midterms.
Trump spent election night watching returns with family and friends at the White House, his shadow looming large over the results.
Opposition to Trump proved to be more of a motivating factor for Democrats than support for the president a factor for Republicans. Still, Republican voters tended to be overwhelmingly supportive of the president.
Faced with the possibility of keeping the Senate but losing the House, aides in recent days had laid out the political reality to Trump, who could face an onslaught of Democratic-run investigations. In turn, Trump began trying out defensive arguments ahead of Election Day, noting that midterm losses are typical for the party in the White House, pointing out a high number of GOP retirements and stressing that he had kept his focus on the Senate.
Aides set up televisions in the White House residence for Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their guests to watch election results come in, with the sets tuned to different cable news channels. Among those expected were Trump’s adult children, White House aides, Republican officials and presidential friends.
The election served as a referendum of sorts on Trump’s racially charged appeals and the strength of the coalition that powered him to the White House — a group he will need again in just two years.
Sanders said candidates who welcomed Trump did better at the polls.
“Most of the candidates that the president actually went in and campaigned for and who embrace the president are doing well tonight,” she said.
Still, about one-third of voters said Trump was not a factor in their votes.