Even if Republicans win a majority in the House, President Joe Biden will still have a little breathing room next year.
After days of uncertainty over thousands of mail-in ballots, the 50th vote for Democrats went to Sen. Catherine Masto in Nevada. The impact of Georgia's Senate race will be determined by a December election.
Republicans hoped voter discontent with Democratic policies and high inflation would lead to a "red wave" that would allow them to win both chambers of Congress. While they did make gains in some states like Florida and New York, many of them extremists who were backed by former President Donald Trump did not perform well elsewhere.
Less than a third of voters think inflation is the most important issue of the election, with the survival of democracy and abortion rights also important to them. Republicans had intended to attack Democrats over crime, but it didn't seem to be the winning strategy.
The future of democracy was one of the key issues in the closing days of the race. The scores of GOP election deniers on the ballot this year presented a critical threat that should be rejected before the next presidential election, especially with twice-impeached President Donald Trump teasing another run for the White House.
More than 160 people who have denied or cast doubts on Biden's win in 2020 will be in Congress in three years.
Democrats can do a lot with a majority in the Senate.
They will have more time to fill vacancies in Biden's cabinet and the federal courts. Compared to Trump, Biden's team has been stable. Several department heads are expected to leave in the coming months and he will now have a better chance of finding replacements.
A record number of judges were confirmed by Biden in the first half of his term. A GOP-controlled Senate would have stopped the streak and likely ended the chance of an appointment to the Supreme Court if there was a vacancies.
Democrats will be in a better position to negotiate with the GOP-controlled House over must-pass fiscal measures.
Republicans have indicated that they won't support a debt ceiling increase unless Democrats give in to their demands for cuts to Social Security and Medicare. The US credit rating was lowered for the first time due to the debt ceiling fight. It would be a disaster if the debt was not paid on time.
The threat of an economic Armageddon for the rest of Biden's term is being removed by a growing number of lawmakers. They would need the full support of the Senate Democratic caucus to do that.
The exact date of the next debt ceiling deadline is not certain because incoming tax revenue can be unpredictable.
Democrats face a slightly easier path in the future, when they will face a brutal map. Emocrats will have to defend seven seats in states that Donald Trump won in the past. Republicans are hoping to run up the margins in that election and possibly get a majority.
The Democrats will be in better shape for the next election if they are able to hold onto the seat in Georgia.
The article was first published on HuffPost.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
