2022 midterm elections weakened Trump and strengthened Biden
As the dust begins to settle after election night, one reality is clear: Republicans underperformed expectations.
“When you wake up tomorrow, we will be in the majority and Nancy Pelosi will be in the minority,” boasted Republican Leader Kevin Mccarthy.
America woke up Wednesday and results remained too close for the GOP to claim control of the House. The Senate also remained up for grabs with Democrats having the clearest path to a majority.
Gov. Ron Desantis is an extremely powerful candidate and Republicans' best chance to reclaim the White House in 2024. Florida is a critical presidential election state and Desantis absolutely crushed opponent Charlie Crist.
The Sunshine State went from a swing state to a solid red with a few blue islands. Crist wasn't the best candidate, but President Joe Biden isn't much better. Donald Trump should tread carefully. He shouldn't mistake Desantis for the other Florida governor begging voters to “please clap.”
Desantis has the policies Republican voters love, a fighter's swagger, and he's far more disciplined than Trump.
On the one hand, Trump fell short
Speaking of Trump, the former president had a particularly rough night. Trump's handpicked candidates lagged behind other Republicans in states crucial to a presidential election. Georgia is a perfect example.
In the increasingly competitive Peach State, Gov. Brian Kemp outperformed Herschel Walker by more than 200,000 votes. Kemp drew Trump's ire for not parroting his election falsehoods. Walker had his endorsement.
The same phenomenon happened in New Hampshire where Republican Gov. Chris Sununu who called Trump “f------ crazy” crushed his opponent.
In contrast, Sen. Maggie Hassan whipped Trump-endorsed Republican Don Bolduc.
Trump candidates underperforming was an issue even in races where the former president's favored candidate won. In Ohio, Senator-elect J.D. Vance lagged Governor-elect Mike Dewine by more than 350,000 votes.
Trump led the way for Republicans who put too many primary darlings on general election ballots in competitive states. The short-sighted strategy backfired tremendously.
Now Trump has to explain away hard numbers demonstrating that he's damaged and a drag on other Republicans heading into a presidential cycle.
On the other hand, Biden's position was strengthened
In spite of tremendous unpopularity, President Joe Biden weathered a tough midterm fairly well. The evening was a significant win for him, but it puts Democrats in a difficult position heading into 2024.
Democrats would have strongly pressured Biden not to run again if a Republican wave election had materialized. Instead, Biden's hold on the top of the ticket only strengthened.
It's not all terrible news for Republicans. The GOP regained its footing in Florida and Texas. Conservatives will likely control the House. Nevertheless, midterm elections with a president as unpopular as Biden should be blowouts.
That simply didn't happen. That leaves Republican voters demoralized about the results. That spells trouble for a Georgia Senate runoff.
If the House is Republican and the Senate remains under Democratic control, Biden must prepare for an onslaught of investigations into his administration. Democrats will have a Republican House to blame for obstructing their agenda instead of Democratic Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.
Executive orders will become the preferred mechanism for governing in the Biden administration.
Good news: Americans still believe in our country
America is politically divided, and the margins are tight.
Neither Democrats nor Republicans have anything close to a mandate for their respective agendas. The way America voted in 2022 begs for leaders willing to govern with bipartisan coalitions. That could be Biden.
He's been in politics long enough to know how to pivot. A Republican speaker of the House might hold out an olive branch. Who knows? Maybe Sen. Chuck Schumer feels increasingly agreeable in the twilight of his career.
Perhaps the most significant message from the 2022 midterm elections is that voters haven't given up on America.
We want to vote. We do care about the issues. From sea to shining sea, we still believe our electoral voices can, should, and do matter.
The vast majority of candidates, even in close races, are respecting the process and the results. This is what striving for a more perfect union should look like.
USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwoodraised recovering political attorney raising three boys in Nolensville, Tennessee, with his particularly patient wife, Justine. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @Dcameronsmith on Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com.