McCarthy, flanked by RNC seat Ronna McDaniel and House GOP run limb main Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), claimed that Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) mislaid his contention and would beryllium the archetypal Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee seat to beryllium ousted successful 40 years, and that Republican campaigner Anthony D’Espocito had won his spot successful New York. Neither contention had been called.
The sleepy lawsuit was not the triumph rager Republicans had envisioned. In downtown D.C. astatine the Westin Hotel, GOP staffers and lobbyists had flocked to antithetic unfastened bars scattered astir the downstairs ballroom astir 9 p.m., keenly awaiting predetermination results to commencement rolling successful from TVs tuned to Fox News.
However, successful the hours starring up to McCarthy’s appearance, determination were fewer cheers arsenic the country watched arsenic competitory races rolled successful with mixed results.
“Oh no,” exclaimed a woman, arsenic Fox News showed John Fetterman triumphing implicit Mehmet Oz successful the Pennsylvania Senate race, hours aft Republicans had started to admit they wouldn’t get their reddish tsunami.
“The RED WAVE did not happen. Republicans and Independents stayed home. DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RESULTS IF YOU DID NOT DO YOUR PART!” tweeted Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Texas), who won her territory successful a June peculiar predetermination but mislaid the spot to Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (R-Texas) Tuesday aft redistricting.
Echoing this sentiment, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) proclaimed connected NBC News: “Definitely not a Republican wave, that’s for darn sure.”
A fig of seats targeted by Republicans had already been called for Democrats oregon looked apt to beryllium won by them. Among them was Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who staved disconnected a situation from GOP campaigner Yesli Vega successful what was considered 1 of the astir competitory races successful the Commonwealth.
GOP hopes of flipping a territory successful deep-blue Rhode Island were besides dashed arsenic Democrat Seth Magaziner defeated GOP campaigner Allan Fung. And Wiley Nickel held an borderline against GOP campaigner Bo Hines successful North Carolina aboriginal Wednesday, though the contention had yet to beryllium officially called.
Despite Democrats holding their crushed successful immoderate areas, immoderate House Republicans were inactive publically cheerful. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told reporters aft midnight that helium was “just arsenic blessed with a slim majority.” Then helium illustrated wherefore that constrictive bulk would payment him but beryllium pugnacious connected McCarthy and different Republican leaders.
“I mean, look astatine what Joe Manchin has done successful the Senate arsenic the 1 deciding vote, right? I would emotion for the Massie caucus to beryllium relevant. If there’s a 1 spot majority, my caucus has 1 person. It’s me. So I tin determine whether a measure passes oregon not,” Massie said, noting that 218 seats means they person subpoena power. “I’d beryllium the incorrect feline if you’re trying to find idiosyncratic who’s heartbroken that we don’t person a 40-seat majority.”
Apart from Massie, the lone different GOP lawmaker recovered astatine the flagship GOP election-night enactment successful Washington was Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), who made an quality successful the aboriginal hours.
For overmuch of the evening, the ballroom was comparatively quiescent and attendees were somewhat scant oregon scattered earlier McCarthy took the stage, which was emblazoned with the words “TAKE BACK THE HOUSE.” Planners seemingly hadn’t anticipated specified a precocious night, arsenic they sought to fig retired however to guarantee guests would inactive person entree to intoxicant aft 1 a.m.
The muted matter contrasted with stood successful stark opposition to an exultant backstage enactment beforehand, hosted by the National Republican Congressional Committee, which included McCarthy and McDaniel arsenic they prepared for the results.
Democrats, meanwhile, took their ain triumph thigh of sorts, contempt projections that they’ll inactive suffer the House.
“While galore races stay excessively adjacent to call,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said successful a connection astatine 1:30 a.m., “it is wide that House Democratic Members and candidates are powerfully outperforming expectations crossed the country.”
English (US)