Midterms 2018: The First of Many Firsts
For the first time in eight years, the Democrats have retaken control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans. Their plan fell short, however, of a total blue-wave takeover, as the Republicans retained control of the Senate during last week’s midterm elections.
Still, the Democrats have broken through the Republican’s fortress of red. Though Trump was not a candidate in the elections it didn’t mean he was off people’s minds. Democrats running vied to reinstate their control and therefore curtail the powers of the president’s administration. Republicans sought to hold their feet firmly where they stood. Trump scuttled throughout the county, endorsing various Republican candidates prior to the elections at campaign rallies.
Democratic control of the House, beginning next year when elected candidates take office, may stymie Trump’s legislative goals and may even further the Muller investigation into the president since they’ll take over of several committees.
As David Remnick wrote for the New Yorker: “Democratic-led committees could issue subpoenas to investigate the President on a range of subjects. The Ways and Means Committee can request his tax returns. Other committees can launch more aggressive inquiries into his communications and business relations with Russia; his family businesses; possible money-laundering schemes; his payment to Stormy Daniels; the firing of the former F.B.I. director James Comey and various U.S. attorneys; the Muslim travel ban; the family-separation policy on the southern border; the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico; Jared Kushner’s compliance with ethics laws; election security; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s business dealings; and more.”
Political action, as we’ve seen so far, is easier said than done.
There were also loses and upsets. Despite his popularity and major media coverage, Democratic contender Beto O’Rourke, who vied against Texas incumber Senator Ted Curz, floundered, his liberal aspirations clearly not suitable, or pragmatic, to the state’s more conservative voters.
In my home state of Missouri, Claire McCaskill, the senior senator who tried to maintain a moderate background while still supporting several liberal initiatives, fell through the cracks and lost against against her Republican opponent, Josh Hawley. Right across the border, in Kansas, Republican gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach, who espoused the values of Trump, lost to Democrat candidate Laura Kelly.
And then there are the recounts. Democrat Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who previously conceded the race to Ron DeSantis, is anxiously awaiting for the completion of votes to be recounted. Stacey Abrams, the Democrat candidate for governor of Georgia, is refusing to concede the race against her opponent Brian Kemp, despite Kemp declaring himself the winner of the race. Abrams is demanding that each provisional (paper) ballot is counted.
Most importantly, there also historic, symbolic wins that reflect the diversity of our country. Of the many women elected, several are women of color, crashing in on a Congress that has remained staunchly white and male. Barry Blitt’s cover for the Nov. 19, 2018, edition of the New Yorker, visualizes this feat.
Deb Haaland, of New Mexico’s First District, and Sharice Davids, of the Third District of Kansas, are the first Native American women elected to Congress. Davids, who identifies as a lesbian, is also the first openly LGBT member to represent Kansas.
Rashida Tlaib, of Michigan’s Thirteenth District, and Ilhan Omar, of Minnesota’s Fifth District, are the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Sylvia Garcia and Veronica Escobar became the first hispanic women to represent Texas.
In the era of #MeToo, as well as an era of increasingly fraught and divisive times, the election of new faces shows that America is putting some steps forward.
