Democrats gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans have retained control of the Senate. Today’s comments are a collection of reader responses and insights to the results of Tuesday’s closely-watched midterm elections.
Democrat Madeleine Dean celebrates after winning Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District race, in Fort Washington, Pa., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.Charles Fox/The Associated Press
From, Democrats take control of House as Republicans hold Senate by Adrian Morrow
So much for the blue wave. Too bad, although the Democrat-controlled House will arrest some of Trump’s progress, their constant gridlock and investigations will help him in 2020. It will be interesting to see if Pelosi can survive. - jcpro
I agree it may not seem like much, but consider why a blue wave in popular vote, the highest ever needed to flip the House, occurred. Democrats flipped the House, despite the GOP throwing the most gerrymandered districts ever created to guarantee Republican victories in perpetuity, at them. They managed to win back the House despite that. Also, they picked up key Governor races in Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada and Kansas, offsetting Florida and Ohio disappointments somewhat.
In the Senate, consider that the toss up seats were only in strong Republican areas this cycle. The GOP should have picked up way more seats and many races should never have been as close as they were. This could be due to Trump. Next cycle’s allocation of senate seats up for grabs favours Democrats. - Baloo416
One of many problems with the two party system is that each party includes members with wide, often unmanageable and incompatible, ranges of ideologies and interests. How do you manage a party that includes Joe Manchin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, about as polarized as Maxime Bernier and Jagmeet Singh? - Snowaway
From For Donald Trump, midterm results will be a reason to double down on his nationalist agenda by John Ibbitson
A well rounded analysis. While I agree that Trump will almost certainly keep playing the same tired cards with perhaps even more fervour, the real question is what the Democrats will do. The party was united only in their abhorrence of Trump, and now that they have scored a partial victory, they need to work hard and fast to bridge the gap between the hard left and the centrists. It’s time they put their energy into developing sensible policy instead of being the anti-Trump. That sentiment may have gained them the House, but it was hardly a Blue wave. If they remained splintered or run a candidate representative of the old school in 2020 the end of Trumpism is far from guaranteed. - WhistlingInTheDark
The Democrats will now obstruct Trump (an eye for an eye will make the world go blind). Eventually the US will fall behind China, because both parties will engage in tribal warfare forever. - Sandstorm
So democracy is still alive and well, despite all the hyperbole of its demise, and the political landscape returns to the norm. - Tinman1957
From If the midterms were a test of the country’s character, Americans failed by Sarah Kendzior
Special interests have succeeded through the malign influence of money more than Americans have failed. When it takes $1.7 million to get elected to the house and $10.5 million to elected a senator they become servants of the predators. - DennisCasaccio
From, U.S. midterm elections 2018: Republicans hold Senate as Democrats take control of House
In other words, Trump's agenda will be kneecapped the same way Obama's was after the Democrats lost control of the House. And the 2020 election campaign posturing begins with the Democrats launching investigations to dig up dirt and the Republicans complaining of an obstructionist House. Sounds so familiar. History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. - HabFan410
The sad reality is that the Democrats have so much deadwood (Pelosi?) and no natural leader. Is this really a victory for America or will it be wasted years like the Obama period? - Top LeveL
What was with the crazy long line-ups and such? I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to vote. That elections are not run by non-partisan organizations. That money is so prevalent in U.S. elections is downright shameful. It’s not real democracy. - Exedus
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