Senate Democratic Leader: Americans Voted for Change

Washington, Nov 4 (KUNA) -- U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday asserted that the American people voted in the midterm elections for change in the United States and that Democrats must fulfill the voters’ wishes expressed at the polls. Speaking at a press conference after Democrats secured a majority in the Senate, a development that followed their majority win in the House of Representatives, Schumer said, “The Republicans made a choice and followed (U.S. President Donald) Trump toward the abyss. While he sometimes spoke of peripheral issues, he often implemented policies that increased the financial burden on citizens, whether in electricity costs, healthcare, or the prices of goods.” He added, “Republicans chose to follow Trump toward the abyss, even though his policies greatly exacerbated the suffering of American families.” He emphasized, “Today we are witnessing a radical reshaping of the Senate map, a change that will leave its mark on America in the present and the future,” noting that “Americans voted for change, and it is now up to Democrats to deliver it.”

When asked by a journalist about the message he is sending to the Republican Party following the Democrats’ sweeping midterm victories, Schumer said, “I hope Republicans learn the lesson that has eluded them thus far: listen to the American people.” He added, “The American people want us to focus on addressing the issues of costs, chaos, and corruption.”

In addition to the Democratic Party’s majority in both chambers of Congress, the current elections saw dramatic developments, with Democrats achieving a landslide victory by winning a U.S. Senate seat from Texas for the first time since 1988, as Democratic candidate Jim Talent defeated his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, by a wide margin. They also secured a surprise victory by capturing an important Senate seat in South Carolina, which Republicans had held for nearly three decades, after Democrat Amy Andrews defeated Republican candidate Darlene Graham, who had been chosen by President Donald Trump to replace her brother, Lindsey Graham, who died last July.

Among the other key results was the defeat of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who had held the office for three terms, by Democratic candidate and state representative Gina Hinojosa. A historic precedent was also set when Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, elected governor of Georgia, entered American political history as the first African American woman to reach that office. In Florida, Republican Representative Byron Donalds will become the state’s governor, marking another historic first as the first African American to hold that position. (End)