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Trump braces for reckoning as Americans cast their midterm votes Trump braces for reckoning as Americans cast their midterm votes
(35 minutes later)
Donald Trump was braced for a reckoning on Tuesday, as Americans voted in midterm congressional elections that could shape the remainder of his presidency. Donald Trump is braced for a reckoning as Americans vote in midterm congressional elections that could shape the remainder of his presidency.
Final opinion polls indicated Democrats were on course to win the House of Representatives from Trump’s Republicans, enabling them to block much of Trump’s agenda, bombard him with investigations and even begin impeachment proceedings. Final opinion polls indicated Democrats were on course to win the House of Representatives from Trump’s Republicans in Tuesday’s election, enabling them to block much of Trump’s agenda, bombard him with investigations and even begin impeachment proceedings.
But the Republicans were predicted to keep control of the Senate, allowing Trump and his allies in Washington to continue their unprecedented overhaul of the country’s federal courts with lifetime appointments of conservative judges. But Republicans are predicted to keep control of the Senate, allowing Trump and his allies in Washington to continue their unprecedented overhaul of the country’s federal courts with lifetime appointments of conservative judges.
Data from states that allowed early voting suggest high turnout and pointed to a particular surge in younger and ethnically diverse voters, bolstering Democratic hopes for success.
“I am confident the Democrats will win the majority of the US House of Representatives,” congressman Ben Ray Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters.
Trump led a Republican campaign dominated by racial fearmongering about a large group of Hispanic migrants slowly making their way to the southern border, and false claims about his party’s record on reforming the country’s beleaguered healthcare system.Trump led a Republican campaign dominated by racial fearmongering about a large group of Hispanic migrants slowly making their way to the southern border, and false claims about his party’s record on reforming the country’s beleaguered healthcare system.
At his final rally, in Missouri, Trump said: “We are taking back our country.” He falsely claimed Democrats “would obliterate Obamacare”, the Democratic healthcare law named after his predecessor that Trump’s party has spent eight years trying to scrap. At his final rally, in Missouri on Monday night, Trump said: “We are taking back our country.” He falsely claimed Democrats “would obliterate Obamacare”, the Democratic healthcare law named after his predecessor that Trump’s party has spent eight years trying to scrap.
Trump was joined onstage by Sean Hannity, his most loyal anchorman from the Fox News television channel, which promotes Trump with an enthusiasm akin to that of an official state broadcaster. Hannity used the extraordinary appearance to accuse the travelling press corps covering the rally of being “fake news”.Trump was joined onstage by Sean Hannity, his most loyal anchorman from the Fox News television channel, which promotes Trump with an enthusiasm akin to that of an official state broadcaster. Hannity used the extraordinary appearance to accuse the travelling press corps covering the rally of being “fake news”.
While Trump was not on the ballot, the vote was widely viewed as a referendum on his chaotic first 22 months in office. Hardcore supporters have been delighted by two new conservatives on the supreme court and a huge tax cut that ballooned the budget deficit. Fox News said in a statement it did not condone campaign appearances by Hannity and that the issue has been addressed, though it was not immediately clear how it was addressed.
While Trump was not on the ballot, the vote is widely viewed as a referendum on his chaotic first 22 months in office. Hardcore supporters have been delighted by two new conservatives on the supreme court and a huge tax cut that ballooned the budget deficit.
But millions of Americans were eager to rein in a president who has proclaimed himself a nationalist, lied constantly and remained under the shadow of a criminal investigation relating to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Hillary Clinton, Trump’s former Democratic opponent, predicted the US would “vote against radicalism, bigotry and corruption”.But millions of Americans were eager to rein in a president who has proclaimed himself a nationalist, lied constantly and remained under the shadow of a criminal investigation relating to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Hillary Clinton, Trump’s former Democratic opponent, predicted the US would “vote against radicalism, bigotry and corruption”.
Joining Clinton were a handful of prominent Republicans dismayed by Trump. Michael Steele, a former Republican party chairman, condemned candidates from his party for failing to denounce the “inherent racism” in Trump’s rhetoric.Joining Clinton were a handful of prominent Republicans dismayed by Trump. Michael Steele, a former Republican party chairman, condemned candidates from his party for failing to denounce the “inherent racism” in Trump’s rhetoric.
“This election is going to be a very important tell as to which direction America wants to go in,” Steele told MSNBC.“This election is going to be a very important tell as to which direction America wants to go in,” Steele told MSNBC.
Data from states that allowed early voting suggested high turnout and pointed to a particular surge in younger and ethnically diverse voters, bolstering Democratic hopes for success. All 435 seats in the House are being contested, while 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate were in play. Democrats have the gruelling task of defending 26 of those Senate seats, 10 in states won by Trump in 2016.
“I am confident the Democrats will win the majority of the US House of Representatives,” congressman Ben Ray Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters.
All 435 seats in the House were being contested, while 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate were in play. Democrats had the gruelling task of defending 26 of those Senate seats, 10 in states won by Trump in 2016.
Polls were forecasting a likely win in the race for Florida governor for Andrew Gillum, a Democratic mayor competing against Ron DeSantis, a rightwing former congressman close to Trump. Gillum, who faced racist attacks, would be the first black governor of the swing state and the first Democrat in the position for 20 years.Polls were forecasting a likely win in the race for Florida governor for Andrew Gillum, a Democratic mayor competing against Ron DeSantis, a rightwing former congressman close to Trump. Gillum, who faced racist attacks, would be the first black governor of the swing state and the first Democrat in the position for 20 years.
As he cast his ballot in Tallahassee, Gillum said victory would “send a message to Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis as well that the politics of hatred and division come to an end”.As he cast his ballot in Tallahassee, Gillum said victory would “send a message to Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis as well that the politics of hatred and division come to an end”.
Beto O’Rourke, a charismatic Democratic congressman in Texas who has captivated liberals across the country, concluded his energetic campaign to unseat Senator Ted Cruz still trailing in polls, but hopeful a reshaped electorate could push him over the edge.Beto O’Rourke, a charismatic Democratic congressman in Texas who has captivated liberals across the country, concluded his energetic campaign to unseat Senator Ted Cruz still trailing in polls, but hopeful a reshaped electorate could push him over the edge.
Other Democrats, still scarred by Trump’s shock victory in 2016, were left anxious by rainstorms in the south and east on Tuesday – and fearful of the potential effect of moves by Republican officials in several states to restrict voting rights.Other Democrats, still scarred by Trump’s shock victory in 2016, were left anxious by rainstorms in the south and east on Tuesday – and fearful of the potential effect of moves by Republican officials in several states to restrict voting rights.
In Georgia, the Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams was battling to become America’s first African American female governor. But her Republican opponent, Georgia’s secretary of state, Brian Kemp, used his position overseeing the election system to try to block voter registrations by tens of thousands of predominantly black residents.In Georgia, the Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams was battling to become America’s first African American female governor. But her Republican opponent, Georgia’s secretary of state, Brian Kemp, used his position overseeing the election system to try to block voter registrations by tens of thousands of predominantly black residents.
In North Dakota, where the Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp was fighting to save her job, Republican authorities introduced rules requiring voters to register with a physical address – causing chaos among Democratic-leaning Native American voters who live on reservations and typically use PO boxes for their mail.In North Dakota, where the Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp was fighting to save her job, Republican authorities introduced rules requiring voters to register with a physical address – causing chaos among Democratic-leaning Native American voters who live on reservations and typically use PO boxes for their mail.
Trump moved to stoke Republican conspiracy theories of voting by non-citizens, which he has blamed without evidence for his near-3 million ballot loss in the 2016 popular vote despite numerous studies indicating that the practice is almost nonexistent. Trump moved to stoke Republican conspiracy theories of voting by non-citizens, which he has blamed without evidence for his near-3 million ballot loss in the 2016 popular vote, despite numerous studies indicating that the practice is almost nonexistent.
The president claimed in a tweet that law enforcement officials had been “strongly notified” to be on the lookout for “ILLEGAL VOTING”, and threatened “Maximum Criminal Penalties” for anyone caught doing so.The president claimed in a tweet that law enforcement officials had been “strongly notified” to be on the lookout for “ILLEGAL VOTING”, and threatened “Maximum Criminal Penalties” for anyone caught doing so.
US midterms 2018US midterms 2018
US politicsUS politics
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
DemocratsDemocrats
RepublicansRepublicans
GeorgiaGeorgia
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