The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
President Donald Trump urged Americans to vote as if he was on the ballot Tuesday. They did.
Across the country, voters delivered a stunning rebuke to the president and the Republican Party. Voters were frustrated that Trump had not delivered on his promises, especially around rising costs, and felt he was more interested in growing his fortune than in their wellbeing.
In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson, who had been in the race since only July, unseated five-term Republican senator Susan Collins.
Collins, the only Republican member of Congress in New England, could not overcome deep dissatisfaction with the president and frustration among many voters that she didn’t use her seniority and role as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee to hold Trump more accountable.
Her defeat should not diminish her long tenure in the Senate, which included a perfect voting streak, vital financial support for Maine’s communities and industries, and a long record as an important mediator and dealmaker between political parties that resulted in important bipartisan legislation and the continuing of the landmark Affordable Care Act.
In Kansas, a Democrat was elected to the U.S. Senate for the first time in nearly a century. It had been nearly four decades since there was a Democratic senator from Texas. On Tuesday, voters there elected Democrats to the open Senate seat and the state’s governorship. They also flipped several U.S. House seats to Democratic control despite Republican gerrymandering last year in an effort to make those seats safer for the GOP.
Democrats gained control of Congress by large margins in both the House and Senate.
After Tuesday’s big victories, Democrats must be careful not to overplay their hand. In many of these races, the Democratic victory was less a vote for liberal policies and more a repudiation of Republican actions and tactics. In Texas and South Carolina, for example, candidates who were essentially anointed by Trump were soundly defeated. More reasonable and seasoned Republicans, who Trump pushed aside, may have won those races.
Still, the sweeping Democratic victories across the country ushered in a new era of diversity in representation. Deb Haaland of New Mexico will be the country’s first Native American governor. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms will be the country’s first Black female governor. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire is the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.
In a late night interview with The New York Times Tuesday, Trump said he was “absolutely willing” to accept the results of the election, while blaming losses on Republicans. He also said he looked forward to working with Democrats and thought they could work some things out.
That is encouraging. However, the next two months before the new Congress is sworn in could be very dangerous, for the U.S. and the world, as a wounded and increasingly mentally unfit president and his allies seek to retain a grasp on power and to avoid accountability. Of course, those who have violated the law must be held accountable, but Congress — and the country — can’t become paralyzed by endless impeachments and investigations. At the same time, we must remember that targeted investigation of those who have run roughshod over the Constitution and laws of the country is different from the retribution of perceived enemies that Trump has promised and sought.
Trump has also threatened new attacks against Iran as he seemingly tries to end a war he never should have started. The war has driven up fuel and other prices, stressing Americans and prompting many to vote against Republicans.
To counter Trump’s record and to keep their power and influence, scores of billionaires (many of whom keep their identities hidden) donated heavily to Republican campaigns. Notably, Elon Musk, a Trump ally and the world’s richest man, spent nearly $500 million on Republican campaigns, including contributions to boost Susan Collins. More than $125 million was spent on ads to support Collins’ reelection campaign.
In the end, that looks like a bad investment as voters in Maine and across the country showed that the power of the people can overcome the power of money.
