WASHINGTON (AP) — For more than a decade, Donald Trump defied the rules of politics that applied to everyone else.
asserted
that → defy → everyone
Tuesday’s elections were a categorical repudiation of a Republican president who has spent the first half of his second term governing without regard to consequences, imposing unilateral tariffs that undermined the economy and starting a war that spiked fuel prices and angered Americans who did not approve of U.S. involvement in the kind of Middle East conflict he had promised to avoid.
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he → spend → conflict
On top of that, he earned billions in outside investments and focused on Washington renovations that showed little empathy for those struggling financially.
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that → earn → those
Having survived scandal, impeachments and a criminal conviction, Trump approached the midterms as yet another hurdle he could clear with the sheer force of his personality, insisting the economy was fine and the war in Iran was needed to avoid nuclear war.
uncertain
war → survive → war
In the Senate, Democrats will soon represent longtime Republican bastions such as South Carolina, Texas and Kansas.
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Democrats → represent → Carolina
A Black woman will hold the governorship of Georgia, a state that was both the heart of the Confederacy and the soul of the Civil Rights Movement.
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that → hold → Movement
A Latina will become governor of Texas, where Trump’s strict immigration enforcement has rocked communities from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston.
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enforcement → become → Houston
For Democrats who have learned to temper their expectations after painful losses, the magnitude of Tuesday’s results was hard to comprehend.
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magnitude → learn → results
As votes were still being counted, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia and Gina Hinojosa in Texas posted dominant victories in governor’s races where even the rosiest outlooks found them narrowly winning.
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them → count → races
James Talarico similarly dispatched Republican Ken Paxton with relative ease to become the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas since 1988.
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Talarico → dispatch → 1988
A profound pivot in American politics
The victories were of such a scale that they might mark a profound pivot in American politics.
uncertain
they → mark → politics
Even Trump, who still refuses to accept his loss in the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, didn’t dispute the results.
asserted
who → refuse → results
Democrats who will control the House and Senate beginning in 2027 can claim a mandate to shift Washington in a new direction.
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who → control → direction
“We knew that the chaos and corruption in Washington (was) hurting our people,” said Roy Cooper, the Democrat who flipped a Senate seat in North Carolina.
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who → know → Carolina
“Today, you said this has to stop.
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this → say → ?
And as your new United States senator, I am ready to take that message to Washington.”
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I → take → Washington
Claiming a mandate and executing on it, though, are two very different things and Democrats will have difficulty delivering on policy promises so long as Trump holds the power of the veto.
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Trump → claim → veto
But Trump can no longer rely on compliant Republican leaders to acquiesce.
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Trump → rely → leaders
Those in his party who lost are likely to become more openly critical in their remaining months in office.
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who → lose → office
The reordering of power in Washington has the potential to be the signal that the era of Trump’s dominance is waning.
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era → have → dominance
Republicans whom Trump expressly lifted to the ballot and campaigned fiercely for, including Darline Graham in South Carolina, Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Paxton, lost.
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Trump → lift → Carolina
The coalition of young, Black and Latino voters that propelled Trump two years ago swung decisively to Democrats.
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that → propel → Democrats
Trump pumped more than $250 million into Republican campaigns, and millions more came from donors like Elon Musk, and it wasn’t enough to fend off losses.
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it → pump → losses
The coarse brand of politics that the president has long heralded met its limits, notably in Ohio, where Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor, hoped an ad featuring negative comments from the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton, would revive his campaign.
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ad → herald → campaign
Acton won and Ramaswamy was not particularly gracious in defeat.
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Ramaswamy → win → defeat
“I have to tell you I have some serious concerns about the future direction of our country,” he said.
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he → have → country
Republicans accept election results
asserted
Republicans → accept → results
In Wisconsin, Tom Tiffany, who objected to certification of the 2020 presidential election, conceded defeat to David Crowley in the governor’s race.
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who → object → race
Trump was also unusually congratulatory of Democrats, saying the party did a “good job” and blaming GOP candidates for their loss.
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party → say → loss
Sen. John Cornyn, whom Trump refused to endorse in the Texas primary against Paxton, applauded Talarico and pledged to try to help him.
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Trump → refuse → him
Voters nationwide were in the mood for change, according to The AP Voter Poll, which found that roughly three-quarters of voters feel “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the direction of the country.
uncertain
quarters → accord → country
Among those who had Trump in mind when they voted
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they → have → mind
, about twice as many wanted to express opposition to him as those who wanted to support him.
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who → want → him
Most also blamed his administration for high costs: About 6 in 10 said higher than usual prices are “more because of Trump’s policies.
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prices → blame → policies
Democrats will face pressure to govern
After a decisive victory, the burden will soon be on Democrats to prove they can govern effectively.
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they → face → Democrats
The party has pledged to investigate Trump but will have to navigate calls to also impeach him, which could drain valuable time.
uncertain
which → pledge → time
At the same time, there will also be pressure to prove they can pass significant legislation to address healthcare, high prices and measures to rein in presidential power.
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they → prove → power
“We have to deliver for the American people on getting costs down,” said Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who won reelection to a House seat that Republicans sought to redraw in their favor.
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Republicans → have → favor
Asked what happens should the president simply veto Democratic legislation, Moskowitz said: “Let him do that. Let him still tell the American people affordability is a hoax.”
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affordability → ask → people
_
Associated Press writer Bill Barrow contributed to this report.
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Barrow → contribute → report
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
