The Democrats’ triumph divides the MAGA camp: Vance distances himself from the war
The Vice-President: Was it worth losing control of Congress for six years? Trump defends the conflict, highlights the burden of inflation and points out that the Republicans would have won had his name been on the ballot paper
NEW YORK – It wasn’t a wave. It was a blue tsunami, which swept the Republican Party aside as it hadn’t been seen in decades, openly disavowing Donald Trump and leading the American Democrats to a historic victory even in conservative strongholds: from Texas to South Carolina, from Kansas to Iowa. A shock which, alongside the Democrats’ celebrations, triggered an immediate reckoning between Trump and his supporters, with Vice-President JD Vance distancing himself by criticising the war against Iran, a sign of a new and uncertain political phase.
The results are not yet final; it will take several more days to resolve the outcome in some of the close constituencies. But the result is beyond doubt: the opposition has swept to a majority in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Last night, it had secured more than 230 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, with projections suggesting it would reach at least 255 – well above the minimum of 218 and with a lead of well over 50 seats, a margin not seen since 2008. In the Senate, the Democrats have at least 54 seats, having snatched seven from their rivals and defended all their candidates who were at risk.
Trump said he intended to ‘absolutely accept’ his opponent’s victory, preparing to spend the remaining two years of his term in the trenches. The White House has published a photo of him, looking resolute, reminding everyone that he remains the president. He said he was ready for dialogue and compromise, admitting that the unpopular war with Iran had taken its toll. But he defended it once again – in contrast to Vance – despite it having fuelled inflation: ‘If I had to do it again, I’d do it again,’ he reiterated, saying he was ‘a bit surprised’ by the result. And he played down his personal defeat, as his name was not on the ballot papers.
Trump’s words mask the internal feud amongst Republicans over the reasons for the crushing defeat, including accusations that the president backed loyal but unsuccessful candidates and damaged the party with approval ratings at an all-time low. Vance, a prospective future leader of the MAGA movement, pressed him on Iran: “We all know why we lost; even the President has said so,” he stated, citing a conflict that has exacerbated economic difficulties. “If you want to argue that it was worth it to lose the Senate, go ahead. But,” he added, “any honest conversation about where we go from here must start from this point.” Vance urged conservative voters to channel their anger by supporting Republicans in future who “share your values”. And Florida’s outgoing governor, Ron DeSantis, described the vote as an “extinction-level event” for the party.
Democratic success
There is no shortage of dilemmas amongst the Democrats either, who have seen both progressive and moderate candidates emerge. But yesterday, the new Democratic coalition stood united in its success. Georgia’s re-elected senator Jon Ossoff, a rising star, spoke of the voters’ ‘rejection’ of Trump and his corruption. In Texas, James Talarico claimed a ‘Goliath-slaying victory’: the Republican political and financial establishment, aided in his state by nearly 300 million from Elon Musk.
