The key facts
- The midterms ended in a 'blue tsunami': the Democrats took a majority in Congress
- The economy was the top issue for voters — 39% of AP respondents called it the most important
- Possible 2028 candidates include Harris, Ossoff and Newsom for the Democrats, and Vance, Rubio and Cruz for the Republicans
Election results and the new agenda
The US midterm elections ended, in The National's wording, in a 'blue tsunami': the Democrats won control of Congress. The outlet notes that a Democratic victory in 2028 is by no means guaranteed — the party will have to show voters that it has a programme that goes beyond opposing Donald Trump. The Republicans, for their part, can use the two years to return to the basic issues that concern voters.
What concerned voters
The main issue for those who came to the polls was the economy: according to an AP poll, 39% of respondents called it the most important topic. The war with Iran, which drove up petrol prices in a country heavily dependent on cars, is also tied to the economy. The 'state of democracy' also ranked high on the list of concerns. The National warns that a protracted impeachment process against Trump 'will not pay the electricity bill': a strategy of revenge could backfire on the Democrats, although part of the party is already set on investigations — congressman Robert Garcia, the future chairman of the House Oversight Committee, wrote on social media: 'Hire lawyers.'
Democratic candidates
Among the likely Democratic contenders, the outlet names Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in 2024: her role in the Biden administration, which continued funding Israel during the war in Gaza, weakened her standing among progressives, but she could make a comeback. Senator Jon Ossoff, re-elected in Georgia, leads among possible candidates on the prediction platform Polymarket and is compared to Barack Obama. Also mentioned are California governor Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg and Mark Kelly.
Republican candidates
Among the Republicans, the favourite for the nomination is considered to be Vice President JD Vance, but the task is not an easy one: only one sitting vice president in nearly 200 years has won a presidential election. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a late-October New York Times poll, ranks second in the preferences of Republican voters. Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis are also possible. Trump himself playfully discussed a third term with a constitutional amendment, but after the midterm elections — which he urged people to treat as a referendum on him personally — he may not seriously pursue the idea. In The National's assessment, the culture of war and fears around immigration failed to bring voters to the polls, and Trump's star appears to be fading — the party will have to look for a new figure and focus on everyday issues: jobs, the economy and ending an unpopular war.
