WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – On Capitol Hill Thursday morning, the balance of power in both chambers was still up for grabs with several key races too early — or too close — to call.
President Biden is calling Tuesday’s midterms “a good day for democracy.”
But despite polling showing many voters were dissatisfied with the economy and the direction of the country, the president — when asked if he’ll do anything differently — responded: “Nothing, because they’re just finding out what we’re doing.”
In the Senate, counts continue in two battleground states, Arizona and Nevada, where election staffers are carefully sorting thru thousands of remaining ballots.
While in Georgia, incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock and former football star Herschel Walker are already asking voters to turn out for them once again in a run-off next month.
Asked how he’s feeling after a night when Republicans did not see the decisive victories they’d hoped for, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had this to say: “I don’t deal in feelings. The question is they’ve gotta count the votes and then we’ll figure out where we are.”
Control in the House now rests with a smattering of seats where ballots are still being processed.
Democrats did have some setbacks, particularly in New York, where Republicans campaigned heavily on crime issues and picked up a number of seats, even knocking off the House Democrats’ campaign chair. It’s the first time that’s happened in over 40 years
Even without the final tally, Kevin McCarthy is setting his sights on the speaker’s gavel as President Biden prepares for a possible divided government for the remainder of his term.
“I’m prepared to work in my Republican colleagues,” Biden said. “The American people have made clear, I think that they expect Republicans be prepared to work with me as well.
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