Republicans take control of US Senate, increase their House majority

Star Tribune ^ | Nov 5, 2014 | DAVID ESPO , Associated Press

[KeyLargo]

Republicans take control of US Senate, increase their House majority for Obama's final 2 years

Article by: DAVID ESPO , Associated Press Updated: November 5, 2014 - 7:45 AM

WASHINGTON — Riding a powerful wave of voter discontent, resurgent Republicans captured control of the Senate and tightened their grip on the House Tuesday night in elections certain to complicate President Barack Obama's final two years in office.

Republican Mitch McConnell led the way to a new Senate majority, dispatching Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky after a $78 million campaign of unrelieved negativity. Voters are "hungry for new leadership. They want a reason to be hopeful," said the man now in line to become majority leader and set the Senate agenda.

Two-term incumbent Mark Pryor of Arkansas was the first Democrat to fall, defeated by freshman Rep. Tom Cotton. Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado was next, defeated by Rep. Cory Gardner. Sen. Kay Hagan also lost, in North Carolina, to Thom Tillis, the speaker of the state House.

Republicans also picked up seats in Iowa, West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana, all states where Democrats retired. They had needed a net gain of six seats to end a Democratic majority in place since 2006.

In the House, with dozens of races uncalled, Republicans had picked up 11 seats that had been in Democratic hands, and given up only one.

A net pickup of 13 would give them more seats in the House than at any time since 1946

[b4its2late]

Now they need to make the bigger changes. Replace McConnell as Senate Leader and replace Bohner as Majority Leader in the House.

[oldbrowser]

Visions of leader Ted Cruz!

McConnell will be the majority leader. But if he is smart he will appoint Cruz to a leadership position and make him a protégé. Cruz may not want to go in that direction. He has eyes for the white hut, soon to be the Casa Blanca.

[MrB]

Halting the wrecking ball should be our first concern.

[tioga]

YES. Good plan.

[Salvation]

Good factor.

Will someone get borged?

[SIRTRIS]

As they should and end-up writing a tell all books about the inside workings of Obama & probably his tantrums.

[SoConPubbie]

One of the legal experts on Fox this morning discussed how one of the most important wins from this election will be the ability of the GOP Senate to block anymore of Obama’s Leftist, Liberal federal judge appointments and pack the courts further.

They have the ability, but they lack the principled character to actually do it and they will not.

Doubt me, research out the history of the GOP voting patterns on Leftist judges. In order for them to hold the line on left-wing judges, they'd have to vote as a block, unanimously. They don't do that where approving Judges are concerned. Many of them believe it is their duty to rubber stamp whomever the President nominates and the only requirement is, "Are they breathing"?

[JPG]

Debbie says: “I think we’re going to hold the Senate. We have a ground game that I know [the GOP] would take over theirs any day of the week. When we keep races this close, Democrats win.”

Wrong again, Debbie. FAIL!

[noexcuses]

Has anyone seen DWShultz this morning?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Correct.
Rats jumping ship.

[Arm_Bears]

One of the legal experts on Fox this morning discussed how one of the most important wins from this election will be the ability of the GOP Senate to block anymore of Obama’s Leftist, Liberal federal judge appointments and pack the courts further.

Problem is, they won't.

In fact, it sounds like McConnell is in surrender mode already, if TIME magazine is to be believed.

I don't think the Republicans grasp what has happened to them. Obama nationalized the elections when he declared that his policies were on the ballot, and US voters gave the GOP one last chance to do something constructive. If the Republicans blow it, they cease to be a legitimate political party in the US.

[KeyLargo]

Ed Schultz melts down over Scott Walker victory
By T. Becket Adams | November 4, 2014 | 11:26 pm

Video

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ed-schultz-melts-down-over-scott-walker-victory/article/2555750

[grumpygresh]

I hope that the POS has a meltdown. If zero goes full dictator mode, McConnell needs to shut down all nominations and do strategic targeted defunding of the BS programs.

[ViLaLuz]

I don’t think Mitch McConnell will do any good as senate leader. He’ll be as bad as Weepy, if not worse. How do we get Ted Cruz in that spot?

[ModelBreaker]

The Senate, R or not, has never effectively blocked radical leftist judges from being appointed. There are far to many McCains, Grahams etc who hide behind collegiality and Senatorialness. Zero will get whatever he wants in judges, so long as he doesn’t do something stupid like appoint Eric Holder or Susan Rice to the bench. He just has to stick to ordinary radical leftists without a public profile.

[esoxmagnum]

Wait for the interns to start popping off the “O”’s from all the keyboards in the senate. Then we’ll know how they really feel.

[elpadre]

The key to reining in Obama will be whether or not they can cobble together enough votes to overturn his veto.

[KeyLargo]

Donna Brazile Comes Undone After Midterms: ‘Get Ready to Kick Their Asses Out’ by Eddie Scarry | 9:42 am, November 5th, 2014 Via Mediate

[KeyLargo]

Donna Brazile Comes Undone After Midterms: ‘Get Ready to Kick Their Asses Out’ by Eddie Scarry | 9:42 am, November 5th, 2014 Via Mediate

[LeoMcNeil]

The reason why Harry Reid eliminated the filibuster for all appointments except Supreme Court and Cabinet appointments is because Republicans were blocking Obama’s radical leftist judges.