Voters Hand Senate to Democrats; Trump Blames Republican Candidates
Democrats won control of the Senate on Tuesday as voters rejected President Donald Trump's handpicked candidates, according to PBS NewsHour.
WASHINGTON - Voters on Tuesday handed Democrats control of the Senate, rejecting the candidates President Donald Trump had handpicked, according to PBS NewsHour. That outlet reported that voters also aired widespread concerns about high costs in the wake of Trump's war against Iran and his tariff policy. The report was written by Michelle L. Price of The Associated Press.
PBS NewsHour also reported that Trump said Democrats "did a good job" and blamed Republican candidates for the midterm losses.
Fox News reported that Trump pledged to veto Democratic bills that its headline described as "insane."
Fox News also reported that Trump blamed rising gas prices tied to the Iran conflict for Republican midterm losses, saying Americans had backed the war but not the pain. Its headline framed those gas prices as only partly to blame.
The Guardian, reporting from Washington through Jeremy Barr, said Trump blamed Fox News for Republican losses. It noted that Fox News pundits had hardly criticized the president in midterm coverage in the weeks before Tuesday's elections, yet Trump was quick to cast blame on election day.
The three reports offer different accounts of the causes. PBS NewsHour centered its account on Trump's candidates and on costs tied to the war and tariffs, Fox News centered its account on gas prices, and The Guardian centered its account on Trump's criticism of the network. The reports do not reconcile these accounts.
The summaries available for this story do not include vote totals or a count of seats beyond the statement that Democrats gained control of the Senate, according to PBS NewsHour.
Sources: PBS NewsHour: Trump says Democrats 'did a good job,' blames Republican candidates for midterm losses; Fox News: Trump pledges to veto 'insane' Dem bills, pinpoints issue partially to blame for Republican losses; The Guardian: Trump blamed Fox News for Republican losses even as network’s hosts went easy on him.