US President Joe Biden wants to work with Republicans in Congress for the next two years, regardless of the outcome of the midterm elections. He said so in an election speech on Wednesday. He will invite the leaders of both parties to the White House later this month after the G20 in Indonesia.
By the time Biden spoke from the White House, all the results had not yet arrived. At that time, the results of three races for the seats in the Senate and 44 races for the seats in the House of Representatives were still awaited.
Republicans should get a majority in the House. Who will take control of the Senate is harder to predict. To get a majority in that room, the Republicans must win two of the three undecided races.
Before the midterm, the Democrats still had a majority in both houses. Biden, however, spoke of a “good day” for the Democrats. The expected “red wave” has not materialized. The elections also passed without significant incidents.
Biden expects Republicans to be willing to work with him too, because “I think that made it clear to the American people,” he said.
But he also said he will veto any Republican effort to enact a national abortion ban or to make permanent the tax cuts introduced by his predecessor Donald Trump for higher-income groups.
Biden said he would not make a decision on a new presidential candidacy until 2023. He reiterated that he plans to run again, but that it is a decision he and his family will make. Quite bafflingly, he concluded with: “I have a great deal of respect for fate.”
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