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| Mid-term elections 2018: Trump hails 'tremendous success' | Mid-term elections 2018: Trump hails 'tremendous success' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has hailed "tremendous success" in the mid-term elections after a night of mixed results for his Republican party. | US President Donald Trump has hailed "tremendous success" in the mid-term elections after a night of mixed results for his Republican party. |
| Democrats won the House of Representatives, which will enable them to thwart the president's agenda. | Democrats won the House of Representatives, which will enable them to thwart the president's agenda. |
| But Republicans consolidated their grip on the Senate, ensuring the president can still make key appointments. | But Republicans consolidated their grip on the Senate, ensuring the president can still make key appointments. |
| Mr Trump said the outcome "defied history" as the ruling party does not usually gain seats in the mid-terms. | Mr Trump said the outcome "defied history" as the ruling party does not usually gain seats in the mid-terms. |
| At a feisty news conference on Wednesday, Mr Trump offered an olive branch to Democrats, proposing both parties work together on joint legislative priorities. | |
| But he said that if Democratic-controlled congressional committees started serving legal writs against his administration, Republicans would do likewise and gridlock would ensue. | |
| In ill-tempered exchanges, Mr Trump called a CNN correspondent "a rude, terrible person" and told an NBC reporter: "I'm not a big fan of yours either." | |
| House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi has promised her party will serve as a counterweight to the White House. | House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi has promised her party will serve as a counterweight to the White House. |
| Ms Pelosi - who is favourite to become speaker, a position she held from 2007-11 - told supporters: "Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans. It's about restoring the Constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration." | |
| Meanwhile the Florida Senate race is heading for a recount after Republican Rick Scott got 50.21% and incumbent Bill Nelson 49.79% of the vote. A margin of less than half a percentage point automatically triggers a recount. | Meanwhile the Florida Senate race is heading for a recount after Republican Rick Scott got 50.21% and incumbent Bill Nelson 49.79% of the vote. A margin of less than half a percentage point automatically triggers a recount. |
| What difference will the new Congress make? | What difference will the new Congress make? |
| The Democrats gained more than the 23 seats they needed for a majority in the 435-seat lower chamber. | The Democrats gained more than the 23 seats they needed for a majority in the 435-seat lower chamber. |
| They could now launch investigations into Mr Trump's administration and business affairs, from tax returns to potential conflicts of interest. | They could now launch investigations into Mr Trump's administration and business affairs, from tax returns to potential conflicts of interest. |
| The Democrats could also more effectively block his legislative plans, notably his signature promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. | The Democrats could also more effectively block his legislative plans, notably his signature promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. |
| In the Senate, Democrats were facing an uphill battle because they were defending 26 races, while just nine Republican seats were up for grabs. | In the Senate, Democrats were facing an uphill battle because they were defending 26 races, while just nine Republican seats were up for grabs. |
| The Republicans are on course to increase their representation from 51 to 54 in the 100-seat Senate upper chamber. | The Republicans are on course to increase their representation from 51 to 54 in the 100-seat Senate upper chamber. |
| Mr Trump has threatened to retaliate for any Democratic investigations with his own probes in the Senate into alleged "leaks of classified information". | Mr Trump has threatened to retaliate for any Democratic investigations with his own probes in the Senate into alleged "leaks of classified information". |
| Silver linings | Silver linings |
| By Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington | By Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington |
| Even handing over power to Democrats in the House may have a bit of a silver lining for the president. | Even handing over power to Democrats in the House may have a bit of a silver lining for the president. |
| Now he will have someone to blame if the economy takes a turn for the worse (and, given business cycle realities, it might). He's got a ready-made explanation for why he can't get anything done in the next two years - and a pitch for what needs to change in the next election. | Now he will have someone to blame if the economy takes a turn for the worse (and, given business cycle realities, it might). He's got a ready-made explanation for why he can't get anything done in the next two years - and a pitch for what needs to change in the next election. |
| Day in and day out, he'll have a set of clear political opponents to contrast himself with. | Day in and day out, he'll have a set of clear political opponents to contrast himself with. |
| Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama lost control of the House in their first term in office and went on to win re-election. History, serving as a guide, predicted this would probably be a bad night for the president. | Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama lost control of the House in their first term in office and went on to win re-election. History, serving as a guide, predicted this would probably be a bad night for the president. |
| History also indicates that while the road may be rocky, better days could be ahead. | History also indicates that while the road may be rocky, better days could be ahead. |
| More on the mid-terms: | More on the mid-terms: |
| Who are the new faces in Congress? | Who are the new faces in Congress? |
| Female candidates fared particularly well in an election cycle that had been billed as the Year of the Woman. | Female candidates fared particularly well in an election cycle that had been billed as the Year of the Woman. |
| Two 29-year-old Democrats - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Abby Finkenauer - are due to be the youngest women ever to win House seats. | Two 29-year-old Democrats - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Abby Finkenauer - are due to be the youngest women ever to win House seats. |
| Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women and Sharice Davids and Debra Haaland the first Native American women to be elected to Congress. All are Democrats. | Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women and Sharice Davids and Debra Haaland the first Native American women to be elected to Congress. All are Democrats. |
| Ayanna Pressley was elected as Massachusetts' first black congresswoman. | Ayanna Pressley was elected as Massachusetts' first black congresswoman. |
| What's happening in governors' races? | What's happening in governors' races? |
| Governors - who head the executive branch in state governments - have been chosen in 36 out of 50 states. | Governors - who head the executive branch in state governments - have been chosen in 36 out of 50 states. |
| In Florida, a progressive Democrat conceded after an ugly battle against Trumpist conservative Ron DeSantis. | In Florida, a progressive Democrat conceded after an ugly battle against Trumpist conservative Ron DeSantis. |
| But in Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams - who was hoping to become the first black female governor in the US - refused to concede as her Republican opponent Brian Kemp took a commanding lead after a bitter campaign. | But in Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams - who was hoping to become the first black female governor in the US - refused to concede as her Republican opponent Brian Kemp took a commanding lead after a bitter campaign. |
| Democrats also captured governorships in Michigan, Illinois, Kansas and Wisconsin, where former Republican presidential contender Scott Walker was beaten. | Democrats also captured governorships in Michigan, Illinois, Kansas and Wisconsin, where former Republican presidential contender Scott Walker was beaten. |
| New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo - sometimes spoken of as a 2020 presidential contender - cruised to a third term. | New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo - sometimes spoken of as a 2020 presidential contender - cruised to a third term. |