Don gives self an elex high 5
But 2 races still tight
President Trump boasted that he was “5 for 5” in Tuesday’s elections — despite the fact that two races were still too close to call — and crowed that his backing of House and Senate candidates would result in a “Red Wave” in the November midterms.
“As long as I campaign and/or support Senate and House candidates (within reason), they will win! I LOVE the people, & they certainly seem to like the job I’m doing,” Trump tweeted Wednesday.
“If I find the time, in between China, Iran, the Economy and much more, which I must, we will have a giant Red Wave!” he added.
Of the five races Trump mentioned, two were officially undecided on Wednesday.
In a heavily watched special House election in Ohio, Republican Troy Balderson claimed victory even though he led Democrat Danny O’Connor by just 1,754 votes — or less than 1 percent.
In Kansas, Trump-endorsed Kris Kobach and sitting Gov. Jeff Colyer were separated by 191 votes — 126,257 for Kobach and 126,066 for Colyer — in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
But candidates Trump backed in three elections in Michigan and Missouri were victorious. And Trump took the credit. “The Republicans have now won 8 out of 9 House Seats, yet if you listen to the Fake News Media you would think we are being clobbered,” he said on Twitter.
Of the 10 special elections since he entered the White House, Republicans have won eight.
There are still nearly 9,000 provisional and absentee ballots to be counted in the Ohio race to replace Pat Tiberi, which O’Connor has not conceded. Balderson and O’Connor will face off again in November for a full term.
Republicans and Democrats both found something to celebrate.
“For Republicans the mission in this special election was simple: ‘Survive and advance,’ ” Ken Spain, a former National Republican Congressional Committee official, told Politico.
“But while a win is a win, it is clear the congressional playing field is widening, not shrinking.”
Democrats saw hope for the midterms after O’Connor’s showing in a heavily Republican district Trump won by 11 points in 2016.
“This gives me optimism,” Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez said on CNN. “Not only about this seat, but about other House seats, the US Senate, and governors’ races.”