Riding on a wave of seething discontent among voters, coupled by plummeting approval ratings for President Barack Obama, the Republicans romped to victory in US mid-term elections, winning the Senate for the first time in eight years.
The victory of Republicans in Senate, means now they have an upper edge over Democrats and as they wrest control of both the houses of Congress.
The Republicans’ triumph also means President Barack Obama will have to suffer tough times ahead in his final two years as the President.
Republicans seized at least seven seats from Senate Democrats to claim total congressional control for the first time since 2006.
“The American people have put their trust in the Republican Party,” Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said shortly after the Democratic implosion.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate`s top Republican, brushed aside the toughest challenge to his Kentucky seat in 30 years and was slated to replace Harry Reid as Senate majority leader.
“This experiment in big government has lasted long enough. It`s time to go in a new direction,” McConnell boomed to supporters in his victory speech.
But he sounded a conciliatory note as well, adding that while he and the president rarely see eye to eye, “we do have an obligation to work together on issues where we can agree.”
Reid, stung by losing his powerful leadership role, congratulated McConnell but also called for cooperation.
“The message from voters is clear: they want us to work together,” Reid said.
Republicans have held the 435-seat House of Representatives since 2010, and they kept it safely in hand Tuesday.
In a bipartisan achievement, for the first time ever more than 100 women were projected to win House seats.
But compounding Democratic woes, projections showed the GOP could actually gain an impressive 14 to 18 House seats, giving Republicans their largest majority since 1946.
Republicans also cleaned up in key governors` races, earning re-election in Florida, Wisconsin and Kansas and stunning Democrats by winning governorships in blue Maryland and Massachusetts.
But of the 36 governors` races, probably the most painful for Obama was Illinois, where Republican Bruce Rauner ousted Democrat Pat Quinn in the president`s home state.Democrats worked feverishly to draw voters to the polls in a last-gasp effort, but it was not enough to halt the Republican juggernaut.
With no legislative base in Congress, Obama will struggle to pass any reforms in the final stretch of his mandate, and his opponents will be able to thwart his appointments to judicial and official posts.
The party of an incumbent president historically fares badly in elections in his second term, and every president since Ronald Reagan has left office with the opposition controlling Congress.
While Republicans are likely to cooperate on issues like tax reform, the party will seek to breathe life into their stalled jobs bills, to gain approval of the delayed Keystone XL pipeline, roll back some carbon emission regulations and tweak Obamacare.
