Republicans regroup in Capitol after midterm defeats
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House and Senate Republicans returned to Washington facing a Democratic majority and a looming legislative deadline.
Republicans entered the Capitol on Monday after suffering defeats in last week’s midterm elections, with members split between those who said they had warned of the outcome and those who expressed surprise. "I told you exactly what was going to happen. Over and over and over, I told you," West Virginia Senator Jim Justice said, while Ohio Congressman Warren Davidson added, "No one anticipated the magnitude."
The results gave Democrats control of the Senate with a 54-seat majority and the House with a 254-seat majority, a shift analysts said could expand as counting continues. In Utah, Senator John Curtis said voters were angry and felt the party had failed to deliver, noting that Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the state House by gaining at least 14 seats.
Republican leaders pointed to internal disagreements over policy priorities. Pennsylvania Republican Glenn Thompson argued that the party’s long-term success would eventually benefit from the president’s policies, but conceded that those benefits arrived too late for the election. Ohio Representative Warren Davidson, who voted against the Iran war measure, said the party’s failure to deliver on campaign promises likely hurt its results.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley blamed cuts to Medicaid in the recent budget bill for alienating rural hospitals, calling the approach a "big mistake." He also announced a month-long period of fasting and prayer for those concerned about the country’s direction under the incoming Democratic majority.
Congress faces a tight calendar, with government funding set to expire on 11 December and the House scheduled to adjourn on 17 December, followed by the Senate the next day. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters the House would work around the clock to address the budget deadline, describing the election outcome as "a moment of sober reflection for us as a party."
Among the issues pending is a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie. Lawmakers also debated whether to pursue further party-line legislation on topics such as fraud prevention or defense funding before the session ends.
As the new Democratic majority prepares for orientation, veteran Texas Senator John Cornyn, who is leaving office, remarked that the coming months would be "fascinating to watch" from his television.