By Wednesday morning, Democrats had secured 228 seats in the House, surpassing the 218 threshold required for a majority, while stripping Republicans of seven Senate seats in key states including Texas, Ohio, Kansas, and Maine, according to Euronews.
Democratic Gains Across Traditional Republican Strongholds
The first wave of results, which dropped before 6 a.m. French time, proved particularly painful for Republicans as it affected numerous historical strongholds of the Grand Old Party in the South. In Texas, James Talarico captured a Senate seat for the Democratic camp while incumbent Governor Greg Abbott conceded defeat to Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa, marking the first time in over three decades that the state experienced such political shifts, as noted by France 24. As Joseph Daniel Ura assured, l’un des premiers enseignements de cette soirée est que la qualité des candidats compte encore
.
Gold prices climbed 2.7 percent to reach $4,035 an ounce, moving back above $4,000, and silver climbed 4 percent to $51.76. The euro gained 0.5 percent against the weakening dollar to reach $1.1247, while the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds eased to 4.93 percent, the 2-year yield retreated to 4.61 percent, and the 30-year yield moved to 5.30 percent. Bitcoin gained 1.3 percent to settle around $78,300, and Brent crude hovered near $104 a barrel. Investors responded favorably to the prospect of a divided government, anticipating gridlock that would curb sweeping legislative changes and market surprises.
Executive Authority Preserves Vast National Defense Power
While newly empowered Democratic committee chairs in the Senate intend to push for renewed financial support for Kyiv, foreign policy experts warn that executive authority over national defense remains vast. Bruce Stokes of the German Marshall Fund noted that internal partisan battles between progressive and moderate factions will likely push foreign affairs down the congressional priority list ahead of the 2028 presidential race, according to Les Echos. Il va y avoir une bataille interne dans le parti.
Despite the congressional defeat, Donald Trump retains substantial institutional power as he prepares for the new legislative session in January. Tariffs enacted by the executive branch do not require congressional approval, and the presidential veto remains firmly positioned on the Oval Office desk to block opposition bills.
Conservative Movement Faces Severe Internal Fractures
Following the crushing electoral defeat, political observers point to severe fractures within the conservative movement. For Andrew Gawthorpe, le mouvement Maga risque de traverser une grave crise car il va être associé à cet échec électoral cuisant
. This outcome could trigger the first internal battle for the soul of the Republican Party since 2016. At the same time, Ludivine Gilli emphasizes that Donald Trump conserve le soutien de sa base, les Maga
for the moment. Regarding the Democratic opposition, Joseph Daniel Ura notes that ils devraient pouvoir se retrouver sur une ligne d’opposition systématique à Donald Trump, mais il est clair que cela promet des débats tendus pour décider de l’orientation du parti pour la prochaine élection présidentielle
, while recalling that predictions of Donald Trump losing his grip on the Republican Party have often proven premature in the past.
