The Midterms determine how Republicans and Democrats are divided in Congress. Before the elections, there were fears of a red wave, but that did not happen. Instead, both sides are in a mutual race. If the Republicans form the majority, that would have a significant impact on the policies of US President Joe Biden (79) – but everything is still open.
In many states it remains exciting. While the votes are being counted, some Democrats and Republicans already have reason to celebrate. Blick shows the past winners – and losers – of the US midterms.
The winners
Ron DeSantis – the next presidential candidate?
One of the big winners of the Midterms 2022 is Republican Ron DeSantis (44). The Florida governor offers a similar tough position to former President Donald Trump (76). He won the election by landslide against his Democratic challenger Charlie Crist (66). Experts interpret his strong performance as a clear sign of Trump’s rejection. His reelection could give DeSantis a boost to run for president in 2024.
John Fetterman – the sensational one
In Pennsylvania, Democrat John Fetterman (53) beats Republican Mehmet Oz (62) to win a seat in the Senate. Fettermann steals a seat from the Republicans, a big surprise. Fetterman is especially notable for his appearance. The two-foot-tall behemoth with a bald head, tattoos and a hoodie was considered an unusual candidate, but pitted against Oz, who became known as a TV doctor.
Maura Healey – the openly lesbian
For the first time in Massachusetts history, a woman is elected governor. Openly lesbian Democrat Maura Healey (51) won 63.2 percent of the vote and successfully defeated Republican Geoff Diehl. Until now, the state in the northeast of the US has been ruled by moderate Republican Charlie Baker, who has not run for a new term. Healey is the former Attorney General of Massachusetts.
JD Vance – the bestselling author
In the state of Ohio, Republican Senate candidate and bestselling author JD Vance (38) and Democrat Tim Ryan (49) compete against each other. According to US broadcasters, financial investor and bestselling author Vance (“Hillbilly Elegy”), backed by ex-President Donald Trump, had the upper hand over Ryan. Broadcasters ABC and NBC saw Vance Wednesday after tallying more than 85 percent of the vote at around 54 percent.
Maxwell Frost – the representative of Gen Z
Democrat Maxwell Frost, 25, received 56 percent of the vote in his Florida district, making him the youngest member of Congress. He is also officially considered the first representative of the younger “Generation Z”. In an interview with CNN, Frost announced that he wanted to do something special for the needs of “his” generation.
Markwayne Mullin—the Cherokee
Republican Markwayne Mullin (45) wins a seat in the Senate for his district in Oklahoma and clearly beats his competitor Kendra Horn (46). It is the first time in 20 years that a native person from the Cherokee Nation has served in the Senate. Mullin was cheered in his district after the election.
The losers
Donald Trump – the big loser
Ex-President Donald Trump (76) is clearly the biggest loser in the midterm elections. The Republicans performed significantly worse than expected, and many of the candidates he personally supported lost their election to Democratic competitors. Trump also received a slap in the face from within the party because of the sensational performance of his competitor Ron DeSantis. His reelection could give DeSantis a boost to run for president in 2024. Trump is so angry with the election results that he has to “shout at everyone”.
Kevin McCarthy – He must be shaking
Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. local time, the Republican minority leader in the House of Representatives was still confident. “When I wake up tomorrow, we Republicans have won the election and won the House,” Kevin McCarthy (57) announced. Only: things turned out differently.
Wednesday night there was no majority in the House of Representatives or Senate, with Republicans and Democrats fighting for every seat. Due to the poor performance, the first Republican representatives have already announced that they will not elect Kevin McCarthy as majority leader in the House if they win. McCarthy’s political career isn’t quite over yet, but at least he’s had a slight setback.
Beto O’Rourke – the serial loser
Democratic Representative Beto O’Rourke (50) ran for Texas governor with high hopes. But instead of celebrating the win, O’Rourke was dealt a brutal blow. The Democrat received nearly a million votes less than re-elected incumbent Greg Abbott (64). The defeat may not have felt particularly unusual for O’Rourke, after all, he has now lost three elections in a row. In 2018 he lost in the Senate race to Ted Cruz, in 2020 he failed as a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, so now there is defeat number three.
Just a few years ago, O’Rourke was considered a rising Democratic star. He is unlikely to run again in the near future. The O’Rourke star is out for now.