Riding Anger against President Obama, Republicans capture control of the Senate

Early exit polls showed most Americans voting were unhappy or even angry with the Obama administration, but voters also said they were not pleased with Republicans in Congress.

Upset over the direction of the economy and the country, voters Tuesday delivered a crushing mid-term rebuke to President Obama, giving Republicans control of the Senate and an overwhelming majority in the House.

The GOP toppled at least three incumbent senators and snatched four open seats held by retiring Democrats, guaranteeing that the Senate will have at least 52 Republicans in January.

 

In the House, the Republicans added at least 10 seats, including two in Obama’s home state of Illinois, and they defeated the last of the white Southern Democrats. With several races still uncalled, the GOP was on track to have its largest majority since 1946.

Voters are “hungry for new leadership,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican poised for a promotion to majority leader. “They want a reason to be hopeful,” he added.

The Democrats lost Senate seats all over the map.

Mark Pryor of Arkansas was the first incumbent to fall, ousted by Rep. Tom Cotton, a rising GOP star. Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado was next, dusted by Rep. Cory Gardner.

And in a nip-and-tuck race, Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina finally fell, to Thom Tilllis, the speaker of the state House, in a fierce battle where both sides combined to spend more than $100 million.

The Republican wave was poised to swamp one more

Democrat as well: Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska, where the polls closed at 1 a.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Results were not expected for several hours.

Republicans also romped in Iowa, West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana, picking up seats where Democrats retired. The Iowa loss was especially painful; that swing state helped to propel Obama to the presidency in 2008.

In a sign of how bad things were for Democrats, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) — projected to win reelection easily — was clinging to a tiny lead over Republican Ed Gillespie. And New Hampshire’s Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen barely hung on against challenger Scott Brown.

Soon-to-be-outgoing Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid issued a concession statement at 11:38 p.m.

“I'd like to congratulate Senator McConnell, who will be the new Senate Majority Leader,” Reid said.

“The message from voters is clear — they want us to work together. I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to get things done for the middle class.”

The unifying theme of the losing Senate campaigns: Republican candidates unceasingly tied their opponents to Obama and his plunging approval rating.

The President became a political pinata during the second year of his second term, pounded with criticism for his handling of the economy, the rise of ISIS and the Ebola outbreak.