Biden crows from Phnom Penh over Democrat majority in Senate - "It's always better at 51"

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Joe Biden took some time to answer questions from the press about domestic politics from his hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia shortly after incumbent Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto was declared the winner of her race against her Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. Oddly enough, he is still clinging to his hope of Democrats keeping control of the House, too.

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Biden expressed his happiness about the potential of Democrats holding the Senate, now that the Democrats have 50 seats and Republicans have 49, but even he acknowledges that it’s a stretch for the House. ‘I’m confident they could,’ he said. ‘It’s a stretch. Everything has to fall our way.’

He said that a majority is good because it means that the makeup of committees doesn’t have to be even. President Unity wants to govern with as little resistance as possible.

‘It’s always better at 51 because we’re in a situation where you don’t have to have an even makeup of the committees,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘And so that’s why it’s important mostly.

‘But it’s just simply better. The bigger the number, the better.’

Biden has governed as though he had a mandate yet he never has had the numbers in the House or Senate to justify that attitude. It is important that Republicans take back the House, which they are on track to do, even if it is a small majority. This will shut down Biden’s radically progressive agenda and out-of-control spending spree that is sending our economy over a cliff.

In the Senate, it looks like it may be going to the Democrats. The only hope now for Republicans is a victory by Herschel Walker in Georgia. We’ve known that all roads to a Senate majority run through Georgia and with Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada, the only remaining race to be called is the one in Georgia. It all comes down to the December 6 run-off race between Republican Herschel Walker and Democrat incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock. Warnock loyally votes for the Biden agenda and Walker would be a solid vote for Republicans.

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While Biden was busy crowing about the red wave that didn’t happen, Cortez Masto gracefully posted a one sentence tweet thanking the voters. No bravado, no snark against Republicans, just a thank you. Credit when credit is due.

A victory by Walker will still keep the Senate in Democrat control – the vice president has the tie-breaking vote – but it gives Republicans leverage if the tally is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. There will be co-chairs on committees and that is what Biden was talking about in the committee makeup. With a 51st Democrat, there is no equal balance on committees. Chuck Schumer will remain Senate Majority Leader whether or not Warnock wins in Georgia. Schumer commented that voters rejected the “MAGA Republicans”.

Earlier Schumer described the result as a victory for the American people and vindication for his party.

‘There were three things that helped the Senate secure the majority: One, our terrific candidates; two, our agenda and our accomplishments; and three, the American people rejected the anti-democratic, extremist MAGA Republicans.’

As state attorney general, Laxalt played a crucial role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Nevada.

But like in other states, that stance appeared to put off independent or wavering voters.

‘The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country,’ said Schumer.

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It’s pretty rich for Schumer to use words like nasty and divisive against anyone else, considering his political record. Remember, he was the one outside the Supreme Court inciting violence against Supreme Court justices with his calling out of Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, by name, over the Dobbs decision and stating they would pay for their votes on that decision.

So, now Democrats and Republicans are solely focused on the last remaining Senate race

“Voters across the country have delivered a resounding endorsement of Democrats’ Senate majority,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Gary Peters said in a statement. “These historic results in race after race speak for themselves, and they reflect the strength of our candidates, the popularity of Senate Democrats’ message to the American people, and a rejection of the extremism espoused by the GOP. Now our work continues in Georgia to ensure Herschel Walker is defeated and Rev. Warnock is re-elected.”

Prior to 2021, the last time Democrats controlled the Senate was from January 2013 to January 2015 during the 113th Congress.

In this year’s midterm elections, Republicans were forced to defend 21 seats, while Democrats had to defend just 14. Three of the four closest Senate races this cycle featured a Democrat incumbent.

The good news for Republicans is that in 2024, many more Democrat seats will be up for grabs than Republican seats. Republicans need to get their message to voters out for the next two years and, if any current senators decide to retire, recruit strong Republican candidates. Joe Biden is still deeply unpopular and will likely be on the ballot in 2024. He says now he is not going to change anything because of the Democrats’ wins. Republicans have to deliver a strong alternative to Biden and the Democrats in 2024, not candidates who cannot win independent voters and moderates in both parties.

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