A sea of red and blue: The results of the 2018 midterm elections

BY ARIELLE KRAUS

Millions of individuals waited in line on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to cast their votes in the midterm elections. Individuals voted for federal, state and local offices as well as amendments to their state’s constitution.

In the state of Florida, the most important races were for governor and the U.S. Senate, as the state of Florida is divided when it comes to political parties. Republican Ron DeSantis won the position of governor over Democrat Andrew Gillum by roughly 34,000 votes or 0.4 percent. A recount will be held for governor due to the closeness of the votes. Democrat Bill Nelson has agreed to a recount for the position in the U.S. Senate against Republican Rick Scott. According to Florida law, an automatic recount is done when the race difference is less than 0.5 percent.

“I am disappointed with the results of the election because I thought Gillum and Nelson would win,” sophomore Sarah Mumby said. “The results of this election have inspired me to vote in the future.”

The U.S. Senate remains Republican-dominated with a simple majority of 51 Republican Senators. Not all of the election results have been announced, however, the Republicans already have the amount needed to maintain their hold of the Senate. The Democrats dominated the House with at least 225 Democratic representatives surpassing the 218 needed to take control. As of now, 197 Republicans were elected into the House.

The U.S. Senate remains Republican-dominated.

“It is a good thing that the Republicans won the Senate,” sophomore Kayden McGonigal said. “They will now be able to elect more judges.”

The voter turnout in the midterms far outnumbered that of previous years. According to CBS, approximately 113 million people cast their vote in this election. Young voters also made their voices heard in the midterm elections. Whether it was the influence of celebrities, March for Our Lives or their own desires, voters in both high school and college headed to the polls in mass numbers in an attempt to make a difference.

“It was great to be a part of the 2018 election,” senior Elizabeth Chery said. “America needed a change in political leaders that would listen to young adults. There is also a bit more balance with the House and Senate.”

The results of the elections brought more diversity to government positions across the United States.

Many constitutional amendments were voted upon in the Florida election. This included allowing former felons to vote with a few limitations, ending greyhound racing and providing benefits to family members of first responders and the military. Out of the 12 amendments proposed on the ballot, 11 passed.

The results of the elections brought more diversity to government positions across the United States, according to CNN. Two Native American women, Democrats Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland, and two Muslim women, Democrat Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, were elected to Congress. Jared Polis, the newly elected governor of Colorado, will be the country’s first openly gay man to serve this position.

Across the United States, there were many close races with some results not decided yet. With votes still being counted, the official results should be announced within the coming weeks.

“Despite the unfortunate victories and many cases of voter suppression, the huge voter turnout, the close campaigns from Gillum and Beto and the flipping of the House all give me hope that with a new generation of voters, we’ll soon have a more progressive government,” senior Ashwin Mathi said.

Photo courtesy of Politico