The midterms didn’t disappoint in terms of turnout, but the “blue wave” apparently smacked right into the Senate sea wall. Democrats did wrestle control of the House away from Republicans as expected though and that does present some issues for the president. However, the reality is, Trump smashed all Democrat hopes of a crushing rebuke style defeat in his first midterm test, in fact helping to flip key Senate races where entrenched Democrats were seen as “safe”. This isn’t usually the case. History as recent as President Obama’s first midterm shows us how badly things can go for a first term president after two years of new policy initiatives rooted in campaign promises. 

Yesterday’s split decision was in no small measure due to President Trump’s tireless campaigning and Republican turnout on a scale we haven’t seen in some time. Democrat messaging was social in nature with much of it rooted in unhinged hatred for Donald Trump. But that ended up hurting them in many key Senate races, thus the blue wave dissipated before hitting the proverbial beach.

In the end, I’m ok with the results as Dems threw everything but the kitchen sink at this president and enjoyed huge turnout as well, still coming up far short of their goal line. Now the question is, how will they use their new found power in a divided government in a divided nation?

It is truly a defining moment for the Democrat Party.