US Midterm Elections: Biden Says American Democracy Is Intact

A day after midterm elections, Republicans and Democrats are in a close struggle for control of the US Congress. Republicans are currently the favorites to win the House of Representatives, but the race for the Senate is extremely close.

Democrats have won a significant Senate seat in Pennsylvania, but three other races are still too close to call, with one going to a runoff vote next month.

A critical Senate race between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Georgia is headed to a run-off in four weeks, as neither candidate secured more than fifty percent of the vote.

The results of other key Senate races in Arizona and Nevada are also still in play.

The outcomes of about thirty crucial contests for the House are still up in the air, so it could be days before results are known.

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, expressed optimism in the early hours of Wednesday.

“While many races remain too close to call, it is clear that House Democratic members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations across the country,” Pelosi said. “As states continue to tabulate the final results, every vote must be counted as cast.”

In the event that Republicans take control of the House, President Joe Biden and his team still have to navigate two challenging years of leadership. Without a Democratic majority, the President’s agenda would probably be severely restricted.

Biden insists Democrats had a strong showing

In his first speech since polls closed, Biden said that the results are a sign that American democracy is intact despite coming under threat over the past several years.

“We had an election yesterday,” Biden said. “And it was a good day, I think, for democracy.”

“Our democracy has been tested in recent years, but with their votes, the American people have spoken and proven once again that democracy is who we are,” he continued, adding that “while the press and the pundits are predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen.”

The President did acknowledge that the outcomes don’t exactly support his strategy. Voters, he said, “were also clear that they are still frustrated. I get it. I understand it’s been a really tough few years [in] this country for so many people.”

“While any seat lost is painful…Democrats had a strong night,” Biden remarked. “And we lost fewer seats in the House of Representatives than any Democratic president’s first midterm election in the last 40 years. We had the best midterm for governors since 1986.”

Good results for Greek-American candidates at the midterm elections

A number of significant victories were achieved by Greeks and philhellenes in this year’s U.S. midterm elections.

Among those who were elected or re-elected in the US Parliament and Congress were Alexi Giannoulias, Eleni Kounalakis, Nicole Malliotakis, John Sarbanes, Gus Bilirakis, and Chris Pappas.

The Greek diaspora in the United States boldly supported Greek candidates in this year’s midterm elections, proving the distinguished political presence of expatriate Greeks in their states.