On November 23, after almost two weeks of counting votes, the much contested Senate race in Arizona was finally called in favor Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto. This race would be the deciding factor of Democratic control in the Senate, ensuring that no matter what happened in the upcoming Georgia run-off between (D) Sen. Raphael Warnock and (R) Herschel Walker, the Democrats will hold a 50-50 majority in the Senate (with (D) Vice President Kamal Harris casting the tie breaking vote).

This result comes on the heels of many news analysts across the country predicting a ‘red wave’ with Republicans voting in mass, causing for large red majorities across the US. However, this ‘red wave’ did not occur. Rather Democrats, especially young people, voted in an extremely unpredictable force, allowing Democrats to defend all of their Senate seats, while also flipping the Pennsylvania seat.

However, this could potentially have disastrous consequences for the Democrats in the upcoming 2024 presidential race.

Going into the midterms the Democrats made numerous promises in their attempt to win seats across the country. They promised to pass pro-choice legislation, and to work to lower gas prices. This may occur, however this puts the Democrats in a precarious situation if either of these efforts are stalled by a split congress. Especially as many members of the Republican Party refuse to pass any legislation protecting the reproductive rights of women.

Additionally much of the Democrat’s voting base comes from working class Americans in industrial cities, and already President Biden has worked to fail this major part of the Democrat base. This is by his usage of the Railway Labor Act’s authority to quell a potential strike.

Biden is often sold by the media and the White House as the most pro-labor President in American history, so by him making a massive move, deciding to see with rail-bosses. Biden throws his credibility as a pro-labor politician in the drain. Actions truly speak louder than words.

However it is possible that these actions and failed promises by Biden may cause for him to be eliminated in the primaries, and for the Democrats to push for another candidate to lead the party in the 2024 presidential election. 

But maybe there is still hope. Prior to the election the Democrats made a promise to protect LGBTQ+ rights, and they’re doing that. Already the US Senate has passed the landmark same-sex marriage protection act, which guarantees that the Federal Government will always recognize the rights of a LGBTQ+ couple, even in states where marriage may be banned.

Democrats are again working to appease their base, and possibly the passage of this bill could indicate more progressive legislation to be passed with the inauguration of the new Congress on January 3, 2023.

Prior to Election Day 2022 the Democrats led by President Joe Biden promised to fight for Americans, and when they fail to do so it is incredibly possible that we see a republican in the oval office in 2025.