US voters surprise experts
These are the giants of election night
11/09/2022 2:52 p.m
The Republicans had hoped for an overwhelming election victory, a “red wave”, in the congressional elections in the USA – but things turned out differently. Nevertheless, they celebrate some successes. But some Democrats are also beaming as election winners. Who are you and what can be expected from you?
Even if all election results are not yet available, there are already clear trends in the US congressional elections. The Democrats in particular breathe a sigh of relief. The Trump party did not achieve a landslide victory, and many Democratic candidates and incumbents are holding their ground. Many questions are still waiting for answers. Can the Democrats defend their razor-thin majority in the Senate? Will the Republicans win a majority in the House of Representatives – and if so, by what margin?
But there are already clear winners, both among the Democrats and among the Republicans. Here are seven of them:
John Fetterman
In jeans and a hoodie, the former mayor of a suburb of Pittsburgh ran for Senator from Pennsylvania. The Democrat won despite struggling with the effects of a stroke. His superpower: the “I’m one of you” factor. Exactly what his opponent, the millionaire and TV doctor Mehmet Oz, did not embody. His victory is the Democrats’ most important victory in the congressional elections. His seat was previously held by a Republican who did not run again. This makes Fetterman the “life insurance” for the Democrats. They can now afford to lose another Senate seat. Because in the Senate there was a tie so far, both parties had 50 seats. In deadlocks, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris can bring about a decision.
JD Vance
JD Vance actually became known for a book in which he criticized Donald Trump – but when he needed his help, he swung around and presented himself as a fan of the ex-president. Mocked by Trump for his “ass kiss,” Vance is now Ohio Senator. His result is extremely convincing. With a lead of seven percentage points, he put Democrat Tim Ryan in his place, who experts had actually attested to a strong election campaign. Vance is the example that Trump’s help can still decide elections, even if that was not the case everywhere on election night. Even if the ex-president’s star falls, Vance is one of those politicians who will continue to pursue Trumpism without Trump.
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis’ re-election as Florida governor comes as no surprise. However, the amount is: DeSantis got 59.4 percent, his Democratic challenger only got 40. A success in success was that he also won the Miami-Dade constituency, which was previously the Democratic stronghold par excellence in the state. The sweeping victory will give DeSantis a boost in the battle for a presidential nomination and fuel rivalry with Trump. The Republican is the hope of those party friends across the USA who now consider Trump too controversial to win elections. Nevertheless: If he actually moves into the White House in 2024, then with the issues that also made Trump great. For example, with the question of why the Americans should pay for the security of Germany and Europe. “If DeSantis became president, the Europeans would have to dress warmly, and not just in winter,” said US expert and political scientist Michael Werz at a press conference in the Berlin think tank “Progressives Zentrum”.
Maura Healey, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Josh Shapiro
Unless governors are named Arnold Schwarzenegger or aspiring to be president, you don’t hear much about them on this side of the Atlantic. But nonetheless, these three are among the winners of election night. Maura Healey will rule as Massachusetts governor in the future – which not only attracts attention because she is the first openly lesbian head of government in the state. But also because the 51-year-old replaces a Republican. The same goes for Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania. He beat Doug Mastriano, who had presented himself as an ardent Trump supporter. Shapiro’s victory proves that Trump’s help in the election campaign can also do harm. Which was definitely not the case with Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The 40-year-old former press secretary for Trump won her election in Arkansas and will be governor there in the future – like her father Mike Huckabee was from 1996 to 2007.
Joe Biden
He wasn’t even up for election, but of course this election was also a vote on President Joe Biden’s previous policies. The fact that, instead of collapsing, his party is now celebrating some successes is more than a consolation for the president. After all, the president’s party has almost always lost significant feathers in the past 40 years. The Democrats could go into the second half of Biden’s term “with their heads held high,” says US expert Werz. The big question now is whether he will run again. In any case, the result does not change anything about his age, his big minus point. But a clear defeat would have encouraged potential challengers. So the President gets off with the proverbial black eye and still has a reason to smile.