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The results of the midterm elections have
raised
questions about how a Republican-controlled Congress can work together with a Democratic president.
The elections brought sweeping victories for Republicans, who now dominate both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Previously, they only had a majority in the House.
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who was re-elected this week and will likely serve as the Senate Majority Leader, addressed the importance of working across party lines.
“I want to first look for areas that we can agree on…This gridlock and dysfunction can be ended,” McConnell said.
Republicans gained seven Senate seats, making a total of 52 Republicans and 43 Democrats in the Senate. Two elected senators are independent, and three seats are still in the air in Louisiana, Virginia and Alaska. In Louisiana, a December runoff election will decide the results, while Virginia and Alaska have not yet determined a final vote count.
The House has grown more Republican, holding more Republican seats now than it has since President Harry Truman’s presidency more than 60 years ago. Nearly 250 of its 435 seats are filled by Republicans.
A number of governor’s races went to Republican challengers; in Maryland and Illinois, Republicans ousted Democratic incumbents.
The GOP also made gains in state governments. They won the majority in three new chambers: the Nevada Senate, the Minnesota House, and the West Virginia House.
McConnell said he had spoken to President Obama by phone and that they raised the possibility of agreement on trade and tax reform. Many other areas, like immigration reform, are still a point of contention between the two parties.
Warm up questions
- What does it mean to be a leader? Think about the captain of a sports team, the head of a club, the director of a play, a project leader. What are some skills or personal qualities that help someone be an effective leader?
- How are the responsibilities of the U.S. Government divided between the presidency and Congress?
- Do you think that the president and Congress work well together? Why or why not?
Critical thinking questions
- Why do you think the Republican Party had such a sweeping victory in the 2014 midterm elections?
- What are some of the benefits and risks of being the majority party in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives?
- In response to the GOP taking over both the House and Senate, President Obama said, “I am committed to making sure that I measure ideas, not by whether they are from Republicans or Democrats, but whether they work for the American people.” Republican Senator Mitch McConnell also sounded hopeful that both parties could find common ground on certain issues that would allow them to work together. How do you think attitudes from top leadership influence how the Senate, House of Representatives and White House work together in the next two years?
