Smaller GOP Gains Than Expected Lead to Split Congress

The expected red wave, in which Republicans were predicted to make major gains across the country, may not have materialized the way some Republican had hoped, but they did manage to gain the seats needed to take control of the US House of Representatives, ending unified Democratic control of Congress. Meanwhile, Democrats were able to keep their Senate majority and possibly expand it, pending the result of the Georgia’s Senate runoff in December.

So far, 220 seats have been declared won by Republicans in the House, with two seats still uncalled, though Republicans lead in both and are likely to win. However, while gaining control of the House is an undeniable victory for the GOP, their majority (likely 222-213) is smaller than what most were expecting. A GOP majority of at least 230 seats in the next congress would have given their leadership more breathing room for difficult votes. Now, with a narrow majority to contend, passing their favored legislation, or even blocking certain Democratic-backed legislation, will likely prove a more difficult task to manage.

Republicans fell short in their quest to reclaim the Senate majority, losing their Pennsylvania seat and failing so far to pick up any Democratic seats. While Republicans could pick up a seat in Georgia in December should Herschel Walker defeat incumbent Raphael Warnock, that result would lead to a 50-50 split, under which Democrats would still retain control.

The Republicans also fell short of their ambitions in state governments, only picking up one governorship (Nevada) while losing three (Massachusetts, Maryland, and Arizona).

 

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin Dies at 96

Former President of China Jiang Zemin, who led the country in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protest and its violent suppression, died Wednesday at 96.

Born in 1926, Jiang represented the third generation of Chinese leadership, following the tenures of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. He became communist party general secretary in 1989 and Chinese president in 1993. Under his leadership, the Chinese economy continued to grow and began to take on a more consumerist orientation. During his tenure, several state-owned enterprises were privatized and deregulated. These moves have been credited with strengthening the economy while also leading to higher unemployment and corruption.

China regained control of both Hong Kong and Macau during his time in office, increasing the country’s international standing.

 

Rare Widespread Protests Rock China amid Zero-Covid Policy

China’s ‘zero-covid’ policy, along with a deadly residential fire in Xinjiang which may have been exacerbated by the policy, have led to the greatest show of public discontent since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

A deadly fire in a residential building high-rise building in Urumqi, Xinjiang on November 24 was a major catalyst for the unrest. The building’s residents were reportedly prevented from fleeing the building as a result of the strict quarantine policies, and emergency responders experienced difficulty reaching the building and breaching barriers.

Protests have spread to major cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and the capital Beijing. University students have also protested at Tsinghua, Peking, and Sun Yat-sen Universities.

Police are reportedly checking the phones of people on the streets to see if certain apps, such as Instagram or Telegram, are installed on them. Protesters and other observers have used these apps to share news and footage of the protests to the outside world.

 

Election Predictions: Election Day 2022

Here are our predictions for the House, Senate, and governor races for today's election:

House

Senate

Governors

Let us know where you agree and disagree in the comments!