From: Jeff Hennie,
Motorcycle Riders Foundation Vice President Government Relations and Public Affairs
Now that the dust has settled on the 2014 election ,the Motorcycle Riders Foundation issues its reflections on what just happened. As you probably already know, it was a good night for Republican candidates with the pick up of some unlikely Gubernatorial, Senate and House seats. The election ultimately gave the Republicans a Senate majority and the largest Republican House majority since 1929.
Some say that the Republicans received a mandate from the country on their conservative platform: that is a little far fetched, considering the President's dismal approval ratings and the tradition of a second term president's party receiving a walloping at the polls in the midterm elections. President Obama has also inserted himself and his policies into the fabric of peoples daily lives, and that has not had the desired effect-just the opposite actually.
The Republicans managed to capture seven additional Senate seats and possibly more, as Virginia is still too close to call. The Louisiana Senate race, according to state election law, must go to a run off in the coming weeks with polls identifying the Republican candidate with a healthy lead over the incumbent. The Republicans will have a slight majority with less than the 60 votes needed for full control. Mitch McConnell is apparently the heir to the Majority Leader position after handily defending his seat against a worthy adversary.
The Republicans also held onto and even expanded their robust control of the U.S. House of Representatives. They padded their majority, elected the first black Republican woman, and are set to re-elect speaker Boehner. Speaking of women, this Congress is now the first to elect 100 women to the House and Senate.
Longtime motorcycle champion and House transportation committee member Nick “Nicky Joe” Rahall (D-WV) lost his bid for a 20th term in the House. We are sad to see him go, and his loyalty to the motorcycling community will be missed.
Republicans also won some very unforeseen Governors races, most notably in Massachusetts and Maryland: both were stunning upsets in solid blue states. Whether the Republicans had a great midterm because of there policies, President Obama's unpopularity, or if the Democrats just had bad candidates is up to you to decide.
Now Congress must come back to work and finish the “must pass” spending bill,s as well as any last minute business that the “lame duck” session will accommodate. After that, anything is possible. The next Congress will see lots of veto threats from the White House and lots of complaining from the Republicans. We will also see how the Republicans run the Senate with razor thin majority. Expect lots of partisan theatre, showdowns, and maybe even another government shut down.
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation will keep you informed on this issue, and every other matter affecting motorcyclists in Washington, D.C.