Barack Obama celebrated this Wednesday the decisive victory of the Democratic Party in the midterm elections in the United States and issued a message about what his party should do during the remaining two years of Donald Trump in the White House.
Following the Democratic victory in both chambers of Congress, Obama urged his party to prepare to take advantage of the new majorities that will assume office in January, drive change, mitigate the damage attributed to the current administration, and prepare the political future of the country.
“Although this administration has two more years in office, our task now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes where we have the ability to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future”, Obama wrote in a message posted on his X account after the election results were announced.
Obama: "The American people sent a clear message."
In his statement, the former president interpreted the results as a demand for changes in the way of governing and addressing the problems affecting Americans.
“Tonight, the American people sent a clear message: they want a policy that brings people together rather than dividing them, and leaders who provide concrete solutions to the challenges we face,” he stated.
The outcome opens a new chapter for Trump's presidency, as he will have to face the final two years of his second term with an opposing majority in the Legislative Power starting January 3, 2027.
Since then, the Democrats will be able to chair committees, drive investigations into the administration, block certain legislative initiatives, and exert greater control over presidential appointments that require Senate confirmation.
However, Trump will retain the power to veto laws passed by Congress.
Obama attributed much of the electoral success to the Democratic candidates who competed in various states and districts, including areas where the party's chances of victory seemed slim.
"These results were only possible due to the presence of exceptional candidates in all regions of the country, even in areas that were previously considered unreachable," he noted.
The former president also highlighted the political diversity of those candidates and the principles they shared, as he stated.
"They came from diverse backgrounds and represented a wide range of political perspectives, but they were united by shared values, a commitment to public service, and the dedication to prioritize the citizens of their districts and states," he noted.
Obama also expressed gratitude for the work of the thousands of election officials and volunteers from both parties who contributed to the voting process, a task he described as one of the essential functions of American democracy.
The candidates endorsed by Obama who won the elections
The Democratic victory also held personal significance for Obama, who actively participated in the final stretch of the campaign and endorsed several candidates who ultimately prevailed over their Republican opponents.
Among them is Abdul El-Sayed, elected senator from Michigan and becoming the first Muslim to enter the U.S. Senate.
Obama participated in campaign events in his favor and defended his candidacy despite acknowledging that they had political differences in the past.
Also elected were Amy Acton, who won the governorship of Ohio, and Keisha Lance Bottoms, the winner of the Georgia gubernatorial election.
Obama had participated in support events for both candidates in the weeks leading up to the election.
Other candidates backed by the former president, such as James Talarico in Texas and Josh Turek in Iowa, also achieved victories in their respective Senate races.
A victory that shifts the balance of power in Washington
The elections on November 3 resulted in a significant Democratic victory that disrupted the political balance in the U.S., with major Republican losses in states where Trump's party had held strong positions for decades.
In Texas, James Talarico defeated the Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race, while Gina Hinojosa won against Greg Abbott in the gubernatorial election, becoming the first Latina woman elected to lead the state.
The Democrats also achieved historic victories in Kansas and South Carolina, where they had not won a Senate election in decades. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican senator Susan Collins, who had served five terms.
From criticism of Trump to electoral mobilization
Obama had returned to the campaign in the final weeks of October to support Democratic candidates in key states.
In his speeches, he harshly criticized Trump’s administration and urged voters to go to the polls.
On October 25, during a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, he described the first two years of Trump's second term as "two years of chaos, cruelty, and corruption" and accused the government of "incompetence like we have not seen in modern times."
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