On Saturday, Joe Biden seemed able to maintain control of the Senate and the Republicans to deprive him of a majority in the House of Representatives. But all eyes were already on 2024 with Tuesday’s probable announcement of Donald Trump’s candidacy for the White House.
• Read also: When Joe Biden confuses Cambodia, where he is, and Colombia
• Read also: Storming the Capitol: Trump’s legal action to block the subpoena
Incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly’s announced victory in Arizona on Friday means the Senate is currently tied at 49-49, with two seats left to be decided, in Nevada and Georgia, four days after the US midterm elections.
It is enough for the Democrats to win one to maintain control of the upper house, given that they will be able to use the vote of the vice president, Kamala Harris, to decide the ties, as required by the Constitution.
In his victory speech, astronaut Mark Kelly on Saturday called on his opponent to move on. “We’ve seen what happens when leaders refuse to accept the truth and focus on past conspiracy theories rather than solving the challenges we face today,” he added.
His opponent Blake Masters, who had received strong support from Donald Trump, has not yet conceded defeat.
Shocked by this setback in Arizona, which adds to other failures of his colts, the former president has once again shouted “electoral fraud”, refusing to admit the verdict of the polls, as he has done since his defeat in the presidential elections of 2020.
“Disappointed”
On the side of the House of Representatives, Republicans seemed ready to win back a majority of seats, which will complicate the continuation of President Joe Biden’s term.
But their victory looks much more subtle than announced. NBC News predicted a tenuous five-seat majority for Republicans on Saturday morning with 220 elected to 215 for Democrats.
However, nearly 20 polls have yet to deliver their verdict, mostly in California.
Driven by high inflation, Republicans have long believed they have an avenue to win back both houses in this traditionally tough election for the ruling party.
Their disappointing results are stirring up unrest among their elected officials in Congress, auguring a possible settling of scores.
In a letter revealed by Politicseveral Trumpist senators are asking to postpone the vote to elect their leader in the Senate, scheduled for next week, challenging tenor Mitch McConnell, who wants to be reconfirmed in office.
“We are all disappointed that a ‘red wave’ [la couleur de leur parti, NDLR] has not materialized, and there are several reasons for this,” they write, wanting to open a debate on this issue.
«Ron-la-Morale»
Everyone already has the 2024 presidential election on their minds, with the prospect of seeing former President Donald Trump announce his candidacy within just three days of his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
“President Trump will announce Tuesday that he is running for president. And it’s going to be a very professional, very clean announcement,” his adviser Jason Miller confirmed on Friday, removing any suspense.
Donald Trump’s candidacy will be his third in the White House. While his influence on the Republican Party remains undeniable, he has come away weakened in the midterm elections and appears to want to act quickly to pull the rug under his rivals.
Among them is the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, triumphantly re-elected and the new star of the far right.
His success has not escaped the billionaire, who this week chained spades and taunts against the one he nicknamed “Ron-la-Morale”.
And, coincidence or not with the calendar, Tuesday will also be the day of the publication of the memoirs of another possible competitor of Donald Trump, his former vice president, Mike Pence.
The 2024 elections could be a remake of those of 2020: his then opponent, the current Democratic president, Joe Biden, this week reiterated his “intention” to run for a second term. But he took care to postpone any final decision until next year.
