#RepublicanTakeover was the top trending topic in the US on Twitter early Wednesday, the morning after the party regained control of the Senate.
A GOP victory did not come as a surprise to anyone following the 2014 midterm election cycle. By Tuesday morning, Republicans were projected to win by hefty margins. The GOP was able to take back the Senate for the first time since 2006 by nabbing seats in North Carolina, Colorado, Iowa, West Virginia, Arkansas, Montana, and South Dakota. They also made gains in the House, where the party already had a majority.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates did not fare much better, losing in Michigan, Florida, Kansas, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Maine. In Pennsylvania, unpopular incumbent Republican Governor Tom Corbett lost to businessman Tom Wolf in a race the Associated Press called at 8:34 pm. By comparison, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s reelection, considered a sure thing, was not called until 9 pm.
After a huge victory last night, Republicans would be wise to remember: a scary 'blue wall' awaits in 2016: http://t.co/fsEqJbNUfg
— David Gergen (@David_Gergen) November 5, 2014
In innovative media coverage, Mashable made an easy-to-follow election results primer entirely out of Legos.
Didn't stay up last night? Here's all you need to know about GOP's win. In Legos. http://t.co/qZyyUELzyh #LegoSenate pic.twitter.com/nzUnTgt3VA
— Mashable (@mashable) November 5, 2014
BuzzFeed posted "9 things the big Republican win means," ranking prospective 2016 presidential candidates as number one. Lower on the list are topics like immigration, the judiciary, and Republicans’ stance on LGBT rights.
The Republican victory falls in line with historical trends. The Pew Research Center noted in July that the president’s party has lost seats in every midterm election but three – 1934, 1998, and 2002 – since 1842.
Despite its track record of success in presidential elections, and even during the first healthcare.gov open-enrollment period, celebrity influence couldn’t spell victory for Democrats on Tuesday. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. West.
The midterms are extremely important
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) November 4, 2014
I'm supporting the Democratic ticket in these midterms
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) November 4, 2014
I’ve voted! Have you? http://t.co/UQFAISRFa7
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) November 5, 2014
Meanwhile, voters in Washington, DC, and Oregon voted to legalize small amounts of marijuana for adults ages 21 and up.
President Barack Obama is expected to speak on the election results this afternoon. His Twitter account has been quiet since November 1.
