Democrats still have a chance to score trifecta — winning White House, House, and Senate

WASHINGTON: In a dramatic comeback, it appears

Democrats

may be able to score a trifecta after all, winning the White House, retaining the House of Representatives, and regaining control of the US Senate. Control of all three will be vital for a prospective Biden-Harris administration to avoid a gridlock in

Washington

and push forward with its agenda.


While all attention was focus on the Presidential election on Thursday and Friday, there was an unexpected turnaround in a couple of elections to the Senate, which Republicans currently control 53-47 and which Democrats had given up hopes of winning.


But two Senate races in Georgia turned out indecisive results after a late surge for Democratic nominees, causing a run-off election and giving Democrats a chance to tie the Senate 50-50, in which case the winning vice-president will have a tie-breaking vote.

Under Georgia election laws, a Senate candidate has to get 50 per cent of the vote to win the seat. In one of the two races, Republican Senator David Perdue, who appeared to be cruising to a win on Wednesday, was pulled back with the counting of mail-in ballots and dropped to 49.5 per cent, which means he will fight a run-off election with his second-placed Democratic opponent. The other Georgia Senate will also be a run off with no candidate securing 50 per cent of the vote.

The run-off will take place on January 5, and Democrats are expected to throw in everything, including Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, and a ton of money, to bag both seats and win a trifecta that would run Republicans out of Washington.

Trump appeared to anticipate the development on Thursday, and in his wild White House appearance, raged, "So now the Democrats are working to gain control of the US Senate through their actions on John James, David Perdue, and more. Would End the Filibuster, “Life”, 2A, and would Pack and Rotate the Court. Presidency becomes even more important. We will win!"

Republican John James narrowly lost a Senate race in

Michigan

and Democrats gained a Senate seat in Arizona, while losing one in Alabama to leave the chamber poised at 47-50. If Kamala Harris becomes vice-president, her seat in California will be filled by the Governor (with an election), bringing it to 48-50.

The stakes are enormous. Besides legislation, the Senate also confirms judges, ambassadors, and hundreds of top nominations. Trump's media minion, Fox News' Laura Ingraham also warned other Republican leaders to get behind the President, tweeting, "A message for @MittRomney & @BenSasse: If Biden is elected, then the Georgia Senate races will determine whether Dems control all three branches of gov’t. If you oppose the Republicans in Georgia, you’re not just a Never Trumper. You’re a Democrat."

Some Republican leaders have already begun to quietly peel away from Trump. But given that he will end up polling close to 70 million votes, about ten million more than in 2016, they will have to risk facing his formidable base. Many of them will be up for re-election in 2022.