‘Disappointing’ US midterms show how Donald Trump could hurt Republicans for years to come
- In close races, prominent proteges of the former president have lost or are trailing behind Democrats as votes continue to be tallied
- Despite an expected ‘red wave’ failing to materialise, Trump called the election results a ‘very big victory’, asking: ‘Who has ever done better than that?’
Former US president Donald Trump – who picked many of his party’s candidates and demanded fealty from them throughout the 2022 midterm campaign – was likely an albatross for the Republicans on Tuesday night, limiting their gains in a midterm election the party expected to dominate.
But if recent history is any guide, Trump’s not going anywhere. The once and likely future presidential candidate is unpopular, but he continues to exercise outsize sway over the Republican base, and could hamstring the party for the next two years and beyond.
As vote counting continues, Republicans still have a chance to win both chambers of Congress, but the fight has been much closer than predicted.
On Wednesday, Trump described the results as “somewhat disappointing” but said he nevertheless sees them as a personal success. Most the candidates he supported won in the midterm elections, he wrote on the Truth Social platform he co-founded.
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US midterm elections throw control of Congress in the air as Republican ‘red wave’ prospects dim
“While in certain ways yesterday’s election was somewhat disappointing, from my personal standpoint it was a very big victory – 219 WINS and 16 Losses in the General – Who has ever done better than that?” he wrote.