When the dust settled in the Nov. 6 Midterm Elections it looked like 72-year-old President Donald Trump performed well considering, off-year elections favor the opposing party. Both former Democrat Presidents Bill Clinton in 1994 and Barack Obama in 2010 lost both Houses of Congress, losing 53 seats and 63 seats, respectively, in the House alone. So far, Trump lost at least 28 House seats, with as many as 12 seats still too close to call. With governors’ races too close to call in Georgia and Florida, things aren’t looking up for the president, proving, if nothing else, that Democrats got at least some part of their “blue wave.” Like the Bush v. Gore deadlock of 2000, Tuesday’s results look deadlocked in Florida, possibly Arizona, looking like they’re heading for mandatory recounts. While Trump has concerns about voter “fraud,” the closeness of results tells a different story.
House Minority Leader, soon to be speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) boldly predicted a vast Democrat victory before Tuesday. Looks like she was right to the extent that Trump now contends with a hostile House, hell-bent on checking his power with endless investigations, not expected to go away before the 2020 election. Whatever happens with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russian meddling and alleged Trump collusion investigation, Trump still has a real problem with the press. Taking on the press seemed to work in 2016 winning the White House, it’s going to be a whole new ballgame in 2020, especially if Democrats pick a senior member of the party to take back the White House. When you look now about a Trump v. former Vice President Joe Biden match-up, it doesn’t look good for Trump. Only a favorable report from Mueller can help save Trump in 2020.
Expected within the next two weeks, Mueller’s confidential report to Congress could make or break Trump’s chances for re-election, let alone finishing his first term. An ambiguous or unfavorable report would give Pelosi the impetus to hold impeachment hearings, regardless if Democrats can’t muster the votes in the Senate. Whatever bad publicity Trump gets from the media, it could get a lot worse, if Mueller implicates Trump or his campaign in any nefarious activity with Russia. Since Trump fired 71-year-old Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions (R-Al.) Nov. 7, Democrats have whipped up the “fire Mueller” scenario, prompting the same “obstruction of justice” charges popping up from time to time. Announcing Trump Acting Attorney General, Sessions 49-year-old Chief of State Matthew Whitaker, also prompted Democrats to call immediately for his recusal in the Russian probe, just like Sessions.
Deputing Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller Special Counsel May 17, 2017, called Whitaker an “outstanding choice,” throwing ice water on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Pelosi, both of whom called for his immediate recusal. Schumer and Pelosi cite Whitaker’s past commentary speculating about the appropriate scope of the Mueller investigation. Democrats, of course, want Mueller to give them grounds for impeachment, fearing anything that would clip Mueller’s wings. Since Rosenstein appointed Mueller as Special Counsel, it’s hammered down Trump’s approval ratings, no matter how good the economy. There’s no telling how Trump’s approval ratings would be different, if Mueller were not in the picture. Because he’s been lurking around for a year-and-a-half, Trump’s watched his approval ratings rarely hit 45%.
When it comes to Tuesday’s election, most House seats and governor’s races favor Democrats, leaving Trump vulnerable heading into the 2020 election. Whether or not there was a “blue wave,” it looks like up to 40 House seats could go to Democrats. Trump hoped to limit the PR damage, but extremely close elections look like they’re breaking for Democrats. With Democrat Krysten Sinema now with a comfortable lead over Republican Martha McSally in Arizona, it looks like Trump is guaranteed only three Senate seat pick-up. If Florida Gov. Rick Scott pulls out a recount, it’s possible he’ll pick up a fourth Senate seat. Scott’s lead, once 56,000 votes, has now shrunk to about 15,000, triggering a machine recount. With thousands of votes found in Broward County, it looks like Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.) could eventually take the lead and pull out the last minute victory.
Trump’s in big trouble heading into the 2020 election, if for no other reason, he’s continuing to get hammered in the press. No president can survive running against the national media without it eventually sinking their campaign. When you consider former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was a flawed candidate, the same won’t be true for someone like Biden. However Biden was prone to past campaign gaffes, they pale in comparison to the whoppers by Trump. When you consider Democrats have picked up House seats as far a field as Utah, New Mexico and Maine, the voter backlash against Trump goes deep, especially the amount of suburban women around the country winning elections. “Mia Love gave me no love and she lost,” Trump said, before the vote turned around for the Salt Lake City Democrat. Love pulled it out in the heart of GOP Utah, doesn’t look good for Trump in 2020.
