As of now, votes in states such as California and Alaska are still being counted, but the majority of the midterm election results are in. Despite the projected “Red Wave,” Republicans only gained control of the House with a slim majority, with Democrats barely keeping their hold on the Senate. Historically, midterm elections typically result in large defeats for the president’s party, with the average seat loss in the House being 28 since WWII. This makes this year’s election results somewhat of an anomaly, as the slim majority Democrats had in the House was replaced with another slim majority by the Republicans. Here are some of the key stories of the 2022 midterm elections:

Locally, incumbent Democrat Elaine Luria was defeated by Republican Jen Kiggans in the race to become the representative for Virginia’s 2nd District. This district is known for swinging, however, by most accounts, recent redistricting was a key factor in Luria’s defeat. It is interesting to note that both candidates are women and retired Navy veterans of the same rank. 

Pennsylvania Senate Race

In one of the most followed elections of this year’s midterms, Democrat John Fetterman defeated Republican Mehmet Oz. Fetterman suffered a stroke in May, causing many to question whether he is capable of representing over 13 million Pennsylvanians. The only debate Fetterman and Oz engaged in was 10 days before the election. It was during this debate that the scope of the effects of his stroke was fully realized. However, by that time, 800,000 votes had already been cast. 

Georgia Senate Race and Upcoming Runoff

In a repeat of the last Georgia Senate race, the outcome will once again be determined by a run-off election. This time, it will be between incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. Walker is a staunch pro-life candidate, while Warnock is pro-choice. The effect of abortion on the Georgia race is yet to be determined, but based on the polling on this issue, it was definitely a factor and most likely will remain so. 

Reproductive rights

Following the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights were on the ballot in a few states and became a major issue this election cycle. The majority of voters in California, Michigan, and Vermont voted to add state constitutional amendments protecting the right to an abortion, with Kentucky voters rejecting an amendment that would inhibit any possibility of allowing abortions in the state. This issue may never be resolved at the national level, despite the desire to do so by both sides. 

2024 

It was a discouraging election night for former President Donald Trump. Several of the candidates who were endorsed by him in critical races lost, which contributed to the failure of the Republicans to win the Senate. It is generally accepted that these losses resulted in a decline in Trump’s political influence. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Florida Governor race where Ron DeSantis purposely distanced himself from Trump. His victory by 20 points secured his position as a key political figure in the Republican party. So much so, that he is now seen as a serious alternative to Trump in the 2024 Presidential election.