Speaking to reporters in Cambodia ahead of the East Asia Summit, Biden said the turnout reflected the quality of candidates his party fielded after Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was projected to win re-election in Nevada, narrowly beating Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. . A Democratic victory in the Georgia runoff next month would give the party full control of a 51-49 Senate majority, while a loss in Georgia would keep Democrats in command of a 50-50 Senate, with Democratic Vice Speaker Kamala Harris to be able to break. tie vote. The additional seat would mean Democrats could leave a vote on key candidates and bills. “We’re focused now on Georgia. We feel good about where we’re at. And I know I’m an optimistic optimist. I get that,” Biden told reporters. “Again, I’m not surprised by the turnout. I’m incredibly pleased. And I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates.” Control of the House of Representatives has not yet been decided. Biden acknowledged that such a victory would be “a stretch” for Democrats, but Republicans had not predicted they would sweep into power in Washington. Biden had framed the midterm elections as a test of US democracy at a time when hundreds of Republican candidates have embraced former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Trump has repeatedly used his appeal among far-right conservatives to influence race-nominated GOP candidates in Congress, state and local government. However, he has been accused of boosting candidates who couldn’t appeal to a broad enough electorate, resulting in a dismal performance for Republicans. The results also signal exhaustion with the kind of chaos the Republican former president has incited, raising questions about the viability of his potential 2024 White House bid. Laxalt, who lost in Nevada, was a former state attorney general endorsed by Trump. Biden told reporters the election showed the Republican Party “is going to have to decide who they are.” Some Republicans expressed displeasure as they faced at least two more years in the minority. “The old party is dead. Time to bury it. Build something new,” tweeted Sen. Josh Hawley. Report by Nandita Bose. Written by Martin Petty. Editing by Ed Davies and William Mallard Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
