Democratic sweep of Congress ushers in a new era as Trump acknowledges impact of the Iran war

WASHINGTON (AP) – The midterm election blowout delivered a new era in Washington, with Democrats in Congress eager to meet voter demands for change while Republicans watched their majorities evaporate after a revolt against President Donald Trump and his party in power.

What happened

Democrats ousted Republicans from coast to coast, with plenty of surprising places in between, in a decisive rejection of unified GOP control for the promise of something different for the country. Their majorities will be padded by unusually wide margins in both the House and the Senate.

Meanwhile, the staggering results are setting up a starkly divided administration, with an emboldened Congress poised to reassert itself as a coequal branch when Democrats take over in the new year. They are ready to launch a 100-day agenda to lower the costs of gas, groceries and healthcare and conduct vast oversight and investigations into Trump and his administration, with impeachment an option.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around democratic sweep of Congress ushers in a new era as Trump acknowledges point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.