With the events of this week, I wanted to take a turn from foreign policy and talk about the Midterm elections that took place Tuesday night. We did not see the “blue wave” many were hoping for, but things have been shaken up nonetheless. So, what are the most important takeaways from the results, and what do they mean for America?
Most significantly, Democrats claimed over 30 seats in the House of Representatives. Therefore, two months from now, Democrats will control the house with a comfortable majority. However, because Republicans have retained strong control of the Senate, it will not be easy for the House to block President Trump’s legislation altogether. Yet, Trump will still face new challenges in passing legislation and it will be interesting to see how and if he uses diplomacy to achieve his agenda.
With Democratic control of the House, it is likely that many investigations will be instigated regarding controversies of Trump’s past. Many representatives have already voiced their intent to investigate the President’s tax returns, which he has infamously refused to disclose. Additionally, the newly Democratic House could reopen the investigation concerning Trump’s relationship with Russia, as it was closed last March by the currently Republican-led house (The Independent).
The House of Representatives is also the body responsible for initiating the impeachment process by a majority vote. Now that the House is held by the democrats, this may be a more possible scenario. Yet, the Senate must also approve the decision by a 2/3 majority vote, which is far more unlikely, especially because the Republicans have picked up three seats in the election.
Moreover, it will be interesting to see if current House minority leader Nancy Pelosi will again be elected as Speaker of the House. She has a problematic reputation and has been a prominent face of the Democratic party for years. Do the democrats need a new face as Speaker of the House in order to win the presedential election in 2020? Many Democrats elected on Tuesday night think so. According to The Independent, “Nearly 50 democrats have publicly stated throughout the campaign trail that they will not support Ms Pelosi’s bid for House Speaker, citing an urgency for new party leadership.”
We have also seen history made in this election. A record number of women have been elected to serve in the House of Representatives. As of current projections, 33 women will join the House, with 65 female incumbents being reelected as well (CNN). Sharice Davids (Kansas) and Deb Haaland (New Mexico) will become the first Native American women elected to Congress, and Ilhan Omar will become the first Muslim women elected to Congress (CNN). Moreover, Colorado’s Jared Polis became the first openly gay man to be elected governor. It was an election of many firsts for America, and it hopefully represents a more accepting turn toward American attitudes.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/07/politics/historic-firsts-midterms/index.html
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Caroline Cox 