Tuesday’s midterms delivered a decisive win for Democrats and a major setback for President Donald Trump. With some results still outstanding, the party appears set to take firm control of both chambers of Congress.
Democrats also made gains in states that had looked almost out of reach earlier this year, including South Carolina, Kansas and Texas. Still, the results may say less about broad support for Democrats than about growing frustration with Republicans and the president.
Voters appear unhappy with the conduct of the war in Iran and the high fuel costs associated with it. There is also a widespread sense that government plays by different rules for wealthy and influential people than it does for ordinary workers.
A key question now is whether Democrats can govern effectively with a coalition that includes both establishment figures and progressives. Some of the party’s new members, including James Talarico in Texas and Troy Jackson in Maine, are on the progressive end of the spectrum. Can the party settle on a workable agenda and address problems that Republicans and Trump have struggled with over the past two years?
One concern is that Democrats may try to manage divisions within their party through investigations rather than policy. If so, Congress could become even more gridlocked than it has been recently.
Republicans and the president still have an opportunity to work with Democrats on practical solutions. Tuesday’s results suggest that voters are tired of an approach centered on attacking political opponents. That helps explain why Trump suffered such a serious defeat, while Democrats emerged as the night’s biggest winners.
The broader message to both parties is straightforward: govern constructively, or risk paying a price at the ballot box. Democrats could face a similar backlash in two years if they ignore what voters have just signaled.
Republicans, too, will need to cooperate and respond seriously to concerns about the Iran war, corruption and inflation. Ignoring those concerns could carry consequences for them as well.
Politics can feel like a fight for its own sake. But Tuesday’s results suggest many Americans care less about party labels than whether elected officials can get things done.
Perhaps the public will ultimately be the biggest winner. For now, that remains uncertain.
