US&nbsp; President Joe Biden warned that democracy is under assault by election deniers and threatened by some candidates contesting for the midterm elections who he said would refuse to accept the results of November 8.&nbsp;

Biden began his speech on Wednesday by addressing the recent attack on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi and said “Thankfully, by the grace of God, all survived,”.

Biden noted that the assailant was looking for the Speaker, Paul Pelosi and was asking ‘Where’s Nancy?’”. He added, “those were the same words used by the mob who stormed the Capitol on January 6”.&nbsp;

In the almost 20-minute speech, Biden also spoke about the importance of the upcoming election, as well as some of the issues surrounding “political violence and voter intimidation over the past two years.”

He added, “We don’t settle our differences in America with a riot, a mob or a bullet or a hammer. We settle them peacefully at the ballot box.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-us-midterms-biden-makes-another-gaffe-says-there-are-54-states-529576">Ahead of midterms, Biden makes another gaffe, says there are ‘54 states’ in the US</a>

The incumbent US president also addressed some of the major issues faced by the country. 
 
“There is a lot at stake in these midterm elections from our economy, the safety of our streets, personal freedoms, future of healthcare, to our personal freedoms, the future of healthcare, social security, medicare, it’s all important…but there is something else at stake. Democracy itself”.&nbsp;

He then went on to hold former US president Donald Trump responsible for spreading the “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was stolen as well as inspiring the election deniers and candidates who “won’t commit to accepting the results of the elections they’re in."

This includes candidates running for every level of office in America including, governor, Congress, attorney general, secretary of state and so on, said Biden.&nbsp; 
 
“American democracy is under attack because the defeated former president of the United States refused to accept the results of the 2020 election…to accept the will of the people…the fact that he lost. He’s abused his power and put loyalty to himself before loyalty to the Constitution,” said Biden.&nbsp;

The US president also urged people to recognise what’s at stake, calling this a moment of “national and generational importance,” and ended his speech saying that “the fate of the nation” lies with the people.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-tensions-run-high-as-midterms-near-a-crucial-test-for-biden-administration-530400">United States: Tensions run high as midterms near, a crucial test for Biden administration</a>

These remarks were made in the context of hundreds of candidates who have reportedly continued to delegitimise the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and some of whom are poised to hold critical offices in the country.

A recent poll by Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that at least 52% of Americans believe that democracy is not working well.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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US President Joe Biden warned that democracy is under assault by election deniers and threatened by some candidates contesting for the midterm elections who he said would refuse to accept the results of November 8.

US President Joe Biden warned that democracy is under assault by election deniers and threatened by some candidates contesting for the midterm elections who he said would refuse to accept the results of November 8. Biden began his speech on Wednesday by addressing the recent attack on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi and said “Thankfully, by the grace of God, all survived,”. Biden noted that the assailant was looking for the Speaker, Paul Pelosi and was asking ‘Where’s Nancy?’”. He added, “those were the same words used by the mob who stormed the Capitol on January 6”. In the almost 20-minute speech, Biden also spoke about the importance of the upcoming election, as well as some of the issues surrounding “political violence and voter intimidation over the past two years.” He added, “We don’t settle our differences in America with a riot, a mob or a bullet or a hammer. We settle them peacefully at the ballot box.” ALSO READ: Ahead of midterms, Biden makes another gaffe, says there are ‘54 states’ in the US The incumbent US president also addressed some of the major issues faced by the country. “There is a lot at stake in these midterm elections from our economy, the safety of our streets, personal freedoms, future of healthcare, to our personal freedoms, the future of healthcare, social security, medicare, it’s all important…but there is something else at stake. Democracy itself”. He then went on to hold former US president Donald Trump responsible for spreading the “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was stolen as well as inspiring the election deniers and candidates who “won’t commit to accepting the results of the elections they’re in." This includes candidates running for every level of office in America including, governor, Congress, attorney general, secretary of state and so on, said Biden. “American democracy is under attack because the defeated former president of the United States refused to accept the results of the 2020 election…to accept the will of the people…the fact that he lost. He’s abused his power and put loyalty to himself before loyalty to the Constitution,” said Biden. The US president also urged people to recognise what’s at stake, calling this a moment of “national and generational importance,” and ended his speech saying that “the fate of the nation” lies with the people. ALSO WATCH: United States: Tensions run high as midterms near, a crucial test for Biden administration These remarks were made in the context of hundreds of candidates who have reportedly continued to delegitimise the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and some of whom are poised to hold critical offices in the country. A recent poll by Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that at least 52% of Americans believe that democracy is not working well. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Democracy at stake': Biden warns about Republican election deniers ahead of US midterms

President Joe Biden made yet another gaffe by saying that there are “54 states” in the United States.

He made the remarks while speaking at a rally in Philadelphia on Friday as he was seeking support for embattled Democrat John Fetterman in the midterm elections.

Biden was speaking about how his administration improved healthcare when he erroneously said&nbsp;that “we went to 54 states” to stop pharmaceutical companies from driving up drug prices.&nbsp;

“And, by the way, if they do, that means — not a joke, everybody; that’s why we defeated it in 2018 when they tried to do it. We went to 54 states,” Biden said.

“The reason is people didn’t realise that the only reason anybody who has a pre-existing condition can get healthcare is because of that Affordable Care Act.”

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Sleepy Joe Biden claims there are 54 States in the United States of America as concerns continue to mount about his cognitive abilities. 
 
There are 50 states in the USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoeBiden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoeBiden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/50States?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#50States</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElonMusk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonaldTrump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TRUTHSocial?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TRUTHSocial</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeSpeech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeSpeech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Biden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Biden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenHarris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenHarris</a> <a href="https://t.co/Sq6xj9WQBY">pic.twitter.com/Sq6xj9WQBY</a>
— @realDonaldTrump - MONDAY  (@altnavigation) <a href="https://twitter.com/altnavigation/status/1586448422902632448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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And as expected, he was grilled by netizens for adding four additional states. Such repeated blunders have&nbsp;raised concerns about the age and mental health of Biden, who is the oldest president in US history.

“Joe Biden now says there are 54 states. I guess if you count the states of denial, confusion, delusion and disaster that his Regime has caused he just might be on to something,” remarked Republican Congresswoman Lauren Opal Boebert.

Actor and Hollywood conservative Rob Schneider tweeted, "Biden says there are 54 states in America. Next speech he will explain the 81 million votes…"

Biden recently mispronounced UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's name when speaking about him at a Diwali event, calling him “Rashee Sanook”.

It comes at a time when Republicans and Democrats are looking to gain an upper hand in the midterm elections that is scheduled to take place on November 8.

A defeat for Democrats would help Republicans gain full control of Congress for the rest of Biden’s term in office, which will be expected to be marred by legislative stand-offs, with little chance that he can enact the rest of his agenda.

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President Joe Biden made yet another gaffe by saying that there are “54 states” in the United States. He made the remarks while speaking at a rally in Philadelphia on Friday as he was seeking support for embattled Democrat John Fetterman in the midterm elections.

President Joe Biden made yet another gaffe by saying that there are “54 states” in the United States. He made the remarks while speaking at a rally in Philadelphia on Friday as he was seeking support for embattled Democrat John Fetterman in the midterm elections. Biden was speaking about how his administration improved healthcare when he erroneously said that “we went to 54 states” to stop pharmaceutical companies from driving up drug prices. “And, by the way, if they do, that means — not a joke, everybody; that’s why we defeated it in 2018 when they tried to do it. We went to 54 states,” Biden said. “The reason is people didn’t realise that the only reason anybody who has a pre-existing condition can get healthcare is because of that Affordable Care Act.” Sleepy Joe Biden claims there are 54 States in the United States of America as concerns continue to mount about his cognitive abilities. There are 50 states in the USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸#JoeBiden #50States #ElonMusk #DonaldTrump #Trump #TRUTHSocial #USA #FreeSpeech #Biden #BidenHarris pic.twitter.com/Sq6xj9WQBY — @realDonaldTrump - MONDAY  (@altnavigation) October 29, 2022 × And as expected, he was grilled by netizens for adding four additional states. Such repeated blunders have raised concerns about the age and mental health of Biden, who is the oldest president in US history. “Joe Biden now says there are 54 states. I guess if you count the states of denial, confusion, delusion and disaster that his Regime has caused he just might be on to something,” remarked Republican Congresswoman Lauren Opal Boebert. Actor and Hollywood conservative Rob Schneider tweeted, "Biden says there are 54 states in America. Next speech he will explain the 81 million votes…" Biden recently mispronounced UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's name when speaking about him at a Diwali event, calling him “Rashee Sanook”. It comes at a time when Republicans and Democrats are looking to gain an upper hand in the midterm elections that is scheduled to take place on November 8. A defeat for Democrats would help Republicans gain full control of Congress for the rest of Biden’s term in office, which will be expected to be marred by legislative stand-offs, with little chance that he can enact the rest of his agenda. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ahead of midterms, Biden makes another gaffe, says there are ‘54 states’ in the US

The White House fears that the Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress after the midterm elections, administration officials say. Recent polls suggest that Democrats are barely holding on to their position in some Senate races and the Senate elections that normally could go either way, are now leaning towards Republicans as high inflation persists.

The House of Representatives is decisively swinging for Republicans, polling analysts including FiveThirtyEight say. Biden and some allies and advisers had predicted in May that Democrats will make gains in both the House and Senate.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-elections-early-voting-begins-but-who-will-seize-momentum-528308">US midterm elections: Early voting begins, but who will seize momentum?</a>

However, he acknowledged just last week that the midterm race in tight. "It’s been back and forth with them ahead, us ahead, them ahead," Biden said, adding the polls were "all over the place," and that he thought they would swing towards Democrats one more time before Nov. 8's elections.

If the Republicans are able to score a win in either house, they are expected to make Biden's remaining tenure tough. They will block legislation on family leave, abortion, policing and other Biden priorities. New laws to curb immigration and spending, using the debt ceiling as leverage are expected to be pushed forward.

They are also expected to launch investigations into Democratic spending. Hunter Biden's business dealings and private life are also likely to take centerstage. Some lawmakers say they hope to impeach Biden, his cabinet members or Vice President Kamala Harris.

One Biden adviser told Reuters, "The president and his advisers feel that we have a strong shot at keeping both chambers and are focused on doing all they can to capitalize on how much Republicans are playing into our hands, including by saying their top priority is to worsen inflation with a tax giveaway to the wealthy."

The White House is also reportedly preparing for any obstruction or probes that could be coming.

"The White House is clear-eyed for what Republican control could look like," said Eric Schultz, a Democratic strategist with close ties to the White House. "It's not a mystery where Republicans will go with this if given the gavel."

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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The White House fears that the Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress after the midterm elections, administration officials say. Recent polls suggest that Democrats are barely holding on to their position in some Senate races and the Senate elections that normally could go either way, are now leaning towards Republicans as high inflation persists.

The White House fears that the Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress after the midterm elections, administration officials say. Recent polls suggest that Democrats are barely holding on to their position in some Senate races and the Senate elections that normally could go either way, are now leaning towards Republicans as high inflation persists. The House of Representatives is decisively swinging for Republicans, polling analysts including FiveThirtyEight say. Biden and some allies and advisers had predicted in May that Democrats will make gains in both the House and Senate. Also Read | US midterm elections: Early voting begins, but who will seize momentum? However, he acknowledged just last week that the midterm race in tight. "It’s been back and forth with them ahead, us ahead, them ahead," Biden said, adding the polls were "all over the place," and that he thought they would swing towards Democrats one more time before Nov. 8's elections. If the Republicans are able to score a win in either house, they are expected to make Biden's remaining tenure tough. They will block legislation on family leave, abortion, policing and other Biden priorities. New laws to curb immigration and spending, using the debt ceiling as leverage are expected to be pushed forward. They are also expected to launch investigations into Democratic spending. Hunter Biden's business dealings and private life are also likely to take centerstage. Some lawmakers say they hope to impeach Biden, his cabinet members or Vice President Kamala Harris. One Biden adviser told Reuters, "The president and his advisers feel that we have a strong shot at keeping both chambers and are focused on doing all they can to capitalize on how much Republicans are playing into our hands, including by saying their top priority is to worsen inflation with a tax giveaway to the wealthy." The White House is also reportedly preparing for any obstruction or probes that could be coming. "The White House is clear-eyed for what Republican control could look like," said Eric Schultz, a Democratic strategist with close ties to the White House. "It's not a mystery where Republicans will go with this if given the gavel." (With inputs from agencies)

Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress, White House fears

According to new research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), there has been an uptick in the number of complaints about politically biased treatment in the workplace.&nbsp;

The number has doubled since before the pandemic, with about a quarter of US employees saying that they have experienced this biased treatment because of their political affiliations, says the report.&nbsp;

According to the report, the kind of treatment that the employees have mentioned is either preferential dealings or undue negative actions on the basis of their political opinions. In 2019, this number was at 12% and this time around at least a quarter of US employees say they have experienced this type of bias. Researchers collected data from over 500 American employees.&nbsp;

The report also shows that at least 30% of managers said that they would be hesitant to hire someone who has disclosed extremely conservative beliefs, on the other hand, at least 20% said the same for a person who held extremely liberal beliefs.&nbsp; 
 
ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/democrats-focus-on-abortion-rights-ahead-of-us-midterms-522310">Democrats focus on abortion rights ahead of US midterms</a>

From the 2020 presidential elections to the Covid-19 pandemic workplace safety guidelines, vaccine mandates, and nationwide protests around racial injustice and abortion laws, the country has been divided on&nbsp;many issues. Therefore, companies have been forced to deal with how this complicated political discourse should be discussed in the workplace.&nbsp;

SHRM president and chief executive officer, Johnny Taylor Jr. said in the report, “In today’s climate, people are saying, ‘I can’t work with you if you don’t share my views…It’s a problem HR professionals and business leaders cannot ignore.” 
 
ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-donors-and-the-republican-party-have-paid-millions-for-trumps-legal-troubles-says-report-519374">US: Donors and the Republican party have paid millions for Trump’s legal troubles, claims report</a>

The report noted that only 8% of companies have communicated the guidelines to employees regarding such discussions at work. The data was collected from 1,500 human resources professionals, said a report by Bloomberg. Notably, research also found that most executives have become more politically polarised and Republican over the past decade.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

According to new research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), there has been an uptick in the number of complaints about politically biased treatment in the workplace.

According to new research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), there has been an uptick in the number of complaints about politically biased treatment in the workplace. The number has doubled since before the pandemic, with about a quarter of US employees saying that they have experienced this biased treatment because of their political affiliations, says the report. According to the report, the kind of treatment that the employees have mentioned is either preferential dealings or undue negative actions on the basis of their political opinions. In 2019, this number was at 12% and this time around at least a quarter of US employees say they have experienced this type of bias. Researchers collected data from over 500 American employees. The report also shows that at least 30% of managers said that they would be hesitant to hire someone who has disclosed extremely conservative beliefs, on the other hand, at least 20% said the same for a person who held extremely liberal beliefs. ALSO WATCH: Democrats focus on abortion rights ahead of US midterms From the 2020 presidential elections to the Covid-19 pandemic workplace safety guidelines, vaccine mandates, and nationwide protests around racial injustice and abortion laws, the country has been divided on many issues. Therefore, companies have been forced to deal with how this complicated political discourse should be discussed in the workplace. SHRM president and chief executive officer, Johnny Taylor Jr. said in the report, “In today’s climate, people are saying, ‘I can’t work with you if you don’t share my views…It’s a problem HR professionals and business leaders cannot ignore.” ALSO READ: US: Donors and the Republican party have paid millions for Trump’s legal troubles, claims report The report noted that only 8% of companies have communicated the guidelines to employees regarding such discussions at work. The data was collected from 1,500 human resources professionals, said a report by Bloomberg. Notably, research also found that most executives have become more politically polarised and Republican over the past decade.

US: Politically biased treatment at workplace rising ahead of midterms, says report

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden.

Democrats hoped that this year would be an exception. By trying to focus the electorate on Donald Trump, they sought to rouse the Democratic base. This approach would also avoid making elections a referendum on President Biden and his approval ratings, which have sagged after months of struggles with the Afghanistan exit, Covid, gas prices, inflation and congressional Democrats.

In other words, Democrats hoped that the usual rules of political gravity would not apply. But we should not be surprised that the familiar force endured.

Republicans performed well in races across the country — most notably in the governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey, states that Mr. Biden won by double digits in 2020. Vote counts are still being finalized, but it appears they shifted almost identically toward the Republicans compared with 2017, the last time those governorships were on the ballot — margins of about 11 points. Virginia provides a striking example of how often the presidential party does poorly — the White House party candidate has now lost the gubernatorial race in 11 of the past 12 elections.

Unfortunately for Democrats, political gravity is also likely to act against them in 2022 — and they face real limits on what they can do about it.

There were signs of Democratic decline in all sorts of different places. The suburban-exurban Loudoun County in Northern Virginia is an example. Terry McAuliffe carried it, but his Republican rival in the governor’s race, Glenn Youngkin, campaigned aggressively there on education issues and basically cut the margin compared with 2017 in half. Places like Loudoun are where Democrats made advancements in the Trump years. To have any hope of holding the House next year, the party will have to perform well in such areas.

Turnout in terms of raw votes cast compared with the 2017 gubernatorial race was up all over Virginia, but some of the places where turnout growth was smallest included Democratic urban areas and college towns.

But Republicans had no such trouble: Their turnout was excellent. In New Jersey, the county that saw the biggest growth in total votes compared with 2017 was Ocean, an exurb on the Jersey Shore, which Gov. Phil Murphy’s Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, won by over 35 points.

Democrats have also struggled in rural areas, and the results last week suggest that they have not hit bottom there yet. In the Ninth Congressional District in rural southwestern Virginia, Mr. Youngkin performed even better than Mr. Trump did in 2020.

This combination — even deeper losses in rural areas paired with fallout in more populous areas — would be catastrophic for Democrats, particularly in the competitive Midwest, where Mr. Biden in 2020 helped arrest Democratic decline in many white, rural areas but where it is not hard to imagine Democratic performance continuing to slide.

Like this year, the fundamentals for the 2022 midterms are not in the Democrats’ favor. Midterms often act as an agent of change in the House. The president’s party has lost ground in the House in 37 of the 40 midterms since the Civil War, with an average seat loss of 33 (since World War II, the average is a smaller, though still substantial, 27). Since 1900, the House has flipped party control 11 times, and nine of those changes have come in midterm election years, including the last five (1954, 1994, 2006, 2010 and 2018). Given that Republicans need to pick up only five seats next year, they are very well positioned to win the chamber.

It is not entirely unheard-of for the presidential party to net House seats in the midterms. It happened in 1998 and 2002, though those come with significant caveats. In ’98, President Bill Clinton had strong approval in spite of (or perhaps aided by) his impeachment battle with Republicans and presided over a strong economy; Democrats had also had lost a lot of ground in the 1994 midterm (and made only a dent in that new Republican majority in 1996). They gained a modest four seats.

In 2002, Republicans were defending a slim majority, but they benefited from President George W. Bush’s sky-high approval rating following the Sept. 11 attacks and decennial reapportionment and redistricting, which contributed to their eight-seat net gain.

So against this political gravity, is there anything Democrats can do? The passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as the possible passage of the party’s Build Back Better social spending package could help, though there is likely not a significant direct reward — new laws aren’t a magic bullet in campaigning. But a year from now, Democrats could be coming into the election under strong economic conditions and no longer mired in a high-profile intraparty stalemate (the McAuliffe campaign pointed to Democratic infighting as a drag).

Factors like gas prices and the trajectory of Covid may be largely beyond the Democrats’ influence, but it is entirely possible that the country’s mood will brighten by November 2022 — and that could bolster Mr. Biden’s approval rating.

When parties have bucked the midterm history, they’ve sometimes had an unusually good development emerge in their favor. If there is any lesson from last week’s results, it is that the circumstances were ordinary, not extraordinary. If they remain so, the Democratic outlook for next year — as it so often is for the presidential party in a midterm election — could be bleak.

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden.

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden. Democrats hoped that this year would be an exception. By trying to focus the electorate on Donald Trump, they sought to rouse the Democratic base. This approach would also avoid making elections a referendum on President Biden and his approval ratings, which have sagged after months of struggles with the Afghanistan exit, Covid, gas prices, inflation and congressional Democrats. In other words, Democrats hoped that the usual rules of political gravity would not apply. But we should not be surprised that the familiar force endured. Republicans performed well in races across the country — most notably in the governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey, states that Mr. Biden won by double digits in 2020. Vote counts are still being finalized, but it appears they shifted almost identically toward the Republicans compared with 2017, the last time those governorships were on the ballot — margins of about 11 points. Virginia provides a striking example of how often the presidential party does poorly — the White House party candidate has now lost the gubernatorial race in 11 of the past 12 elections. Unfortunately for Democrats, political gravity is also likely to act against them in 2022 — and they face real limits on what they can do about it. There were signs of Democratic decline in all sorts of different places. The suburban-exurban Loudoun County in Northern Virginia is an example. Terry McAuliffe carried it, but his Republican rival in the governor’s race, Glenn Youngkin, campaigned aggressively there on education issues and basically cut the margin compared with 2017 in half. Places like Loudoun are where Democrats made advancements in the Trump years. To have any hope of holding the House next year, the party will have to perform well in such areas. Turnout in terms of raw votes cast compared with the 2017 gubernatorial race was up all over Virginia, but some of the places where turnout growth was smallest included Democratic urban areas and college towns. But Republicans had no such trouble: Their turnout was excellent. In New Jersey, the county that saw the biggest growth in total votes compared with 2017 was Ocean, an exurb on the Jersey Shore, which Gov. Phil Murphy’s Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, won by over 35 points. Democrats have also struggled in rural areas, and the results last week suggest that they have not hit bottom there yet. In the Ninth Congressional District in rural southwestern Virginia, Mr. Youngkin performed even better than Mr. Trump did in 2020. This combination — even deeper losses in rural areas paired with fallout in more populous areas — would be catastrophic for Democrats, particularly in the competitive Midwest, where Mr. Biden in 2020 helped arrest Democratic decline in many white, rural areas but where it is not hard to imagine Democratic performance continuing to slide. Like this year, the fundamentals for the 2022 midterms are not in the Democrats’ favor. Midterms often act as an agent of change in the House. The president’s party has lost ground in the House in 37 of the 40 midterms since the Civil War, with an average seat loss of 33 (since World War II, the average is a smaller, though still substantial, 27). Since 1900, the House has flipped party control 11 times, and nine of those changes have come in midterm election years, including the last five (1954, 1994, 2006, 2010 and 2018). Given that Republicans need to pick up only five seats next year, they are very well positioned to win the chamber. It is not entirely unheard-of for the presidential party to net House seats in the midterms. It happened in 1998 and 2002, though those come with significant caveats. In ’98, President Bill Clinton had strong approval in spite of (or perhaps aided by) his impeachment battle with Republicans and presided over a strong economy; Democrats had also had lost a lot of ground in the 1994 midterm (and made only a dent in that new Republican majority in 1996). They gained a modest four seats. In 2002, Republicans were defending a slim majority, but they benefited from President George W. Bush’s sky-high approval rating following the Sept. 11 attacks and decennial reapportionment and redistricting, which contributed to their eight-seat net gain. So against this political gravity, is there anything Democrats can do? The passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as the possible passage of the party’s Build Back Better social spending package could help, though there is likely not a significant direct reward — new laws aren’t a magic bullet in campaigning. But a year from now, Democrats could be coming into the election under strong economic conditions and no longer mired in a high-profile intraparty stalemate (the McAuliffe campaign pointed to Democratic infighting as a drag). Factors like gas prices and the trajectory of Covid may be largely beyond the Democrats’ influence, but it is entirely possible that the country’s mood will brighten by November 2022 — and that could bolster Mr. Biden’s approval rating. When parties have bucked the midterm history, they’ve sometimes had an unusually good development emerge in their favor. If there is any lesson from last week’s results, it is that the circumstances were ordinary, not extraordinary. If they remain so, the Democratic outlook for next year — as it so often is for the presidential party in a midterm election — could be bleak.

How likely is a Democratic comeback next year?

US midterm polls: Arizona senate race tight between Kyrsten Sinema, Martha McSally

US mid-term polls: Republican Andy Barr wins in Kentucky

US voters are poised to elect two Muslim women to Congress in the midterm election next week, marking a historic first even as anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric has been on the rise.

Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee, is all but certain to be elected to the US House of Representatives in a heavily-Democratic district in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, where she is the party's nominee.

Rashida Tlaib, a social worker born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrant parents, will win a House seat in a district where she is running unopposed.

The two will be the first Muslim women to serve in the US Congress. They will increase the total number of Muslims in Congress to three.

Congressman Andre Carson, who is Muslim and African American, is likely to win reelection in his safely-Democratic district in the state of Indiana.

The expected electoral milestone is in stark contrast to the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment around the country. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 21 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the first six months of 2018.

Trump 'a wake-up call'

Both Tlaib and Omar have positioned themselves as polar opposites of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

They oppose Trump's restrictive immigration policies, support a universal health care system which Republicans oppose, and want to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE has conducted raids throughout the country, leaving immigrant communities terrified of deportations -- including longtime Iraqi refugees in Michigan.

"The election of Donald Trump was a wake-up call," Colin Christopher of the Islamic Society of North America told AFP.

"Now we're seeing communities that were once absent from public conversations... all of a sudden are really engaged."

The two women are part of a historically diverse crop of candidates -- by race, gender, and sexuality -- challenging Republican incumbents.

They reflect a Trump era in which race and women's rights and empowerment have emerged as flashpoint issues for Democrats, and identity politics are increasingly important.

Polls indicate next week's election will likely hand Democrats control of the lower house of Congress in a rebuke of Trump's administration. The Senate is seen as more likely to stay in Republican majority control.

Anti-Trump message

Tlaib was born and raised in Detroit -- the eldest of 14 children. In 2008, she became the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan state legislature.

The 42-year-old has positioned herself as a champion of the working class and strongly anti-Trump. During the 2016 presidential campaign, she heckled then-candidate Trump during a speech in Detroit. &nbsp;

Tlaib won the Democratic party's primary election in August in a predominantly African American district.

"Her district does not have many Muslims in it," said Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR's Michigan chapter.

"I don't believe that her ethnic or religious identity has had much of a part to play in her victory nor any opposition against her."

Tlaib has been mindful of the historic nature of her candidacy. During her tearful primary election victory speech in August, with her mother by her side, she said relatives in the West Bank were watching her success.

"It just shows how incredibly wonderful our country can be," she said. "All the ugliness and the hatred that you hear out there, it's not who we are."

With no Republican opposing Tlaib, she will be elected next week to a two-year term to replace longtime Congressman John Conyers who stepped down in December amid sexual harassment allegations and failing health.

First Somali-American lawmaker

Ilhan Omar also has forged a progressive political identity. She supports free college education, housing for all, and criminal justice reform.

The hijab-wearing Minnesota state lawmaker's personal identity has played a big role in her campaign. She is the first Somali-American legislator in the US.

Omar fled her native country's civil war at the age of eight, and later immigrated with her family to the US. &nbsp;

She was inspired by politics early on, when accompanying her grandfather to his first election vote.

"I just fell in love with politics and with what it could do," she told Elle magazine in September.

"I decided to run because I was one of many people I knew who really wanted to demonstrate what representative democracies are supposed to be."

In 2016, the 36-year-old won an uncontested seat in the legislature of her Midwestern home state, where there is a sizable Somali population.

Running for a congressional seat in a heavily-Democratic district that includes the city of Minneapolis, she is expected to easily defeat her Republican challenger.

She would replace Keith Ellison, who was the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2006. He gave up his seat to run for the state's attorney general's office.

US voters are poised to elect two Muslim women to Congress in the midterm election next week, marking a historic first even as anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric has been on the rise.

US voters are poised to elect two Muslim women to Congress in the midterm election next week, marking a historic first even as anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric has been on the rise. Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee, is all but certain to be elected to the US House of Representatives in a heavily-Democratic district in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, where she is the party's nominee. Rashida Tlaib, a social worker born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrant parents, will win a House seat in a district where she is running unopposed. The two will be the first Muslim women to serve in the US Congress. They will increase the total number of Muslims in Congress to three. Congressman Andre Carson, who is Muslim and African American, is likely to win reelection in his safely-Democratic district in the state of Indiana. The expected electoral milestone is in stark contrast to the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment around the country. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 21 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the first six months of 2018. Trump 'a wake-up call' Both Tlaib and Omar have positioned themselves as polar opposites of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party. They oppose Trump's restrictive immigration policies, support a universal health care system which Republicans oppose, and want to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE has conducted raids throughout the country, leaving immigrant communities terrified of deportations -- including longtime Iraqi refugees in Michigan. "The election of Donald Trump was a wake-up call," Colin Christopher of the Islamic Society of North America told AFP. "Now we're seeing communities that were once absent from public conversations... all of a sudden are really engaged." The two women are part of a historically diverse crop of candidates -- by race, gender, and sexuality -- challenging Republican incumbents. They reflect a Trump era in which race and women's rights and empowerment have emerged as flashpoint issues for Democrats, and identity politics are increasingly important. Polls indicate next week's election will likely hand Democrats control of the lower house of Congress in a rebuke of Trump's administration. The Senate is seen as more likely to stay in Republican majority control. Anti-Trump message Tlaib was born and raised in Detroit -- the eldest of 14 children. In 2008, she became the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan state legislature. The 42-year-old has positioned herself as a champion of the working class and strongly anti-Trump. During the 2016 presidential campaign, she heckled then-candidate Trump during a speech in Detroit. Tlaib won the Democratic party's primary election in August in a predominantly African American district. "Her district does not have many Muslims in it," said Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR's Michigan chapter. "I don't believe that her ethnic or religious identity has had much of a part to play in her victory nor any opposition against her." Tlaib has been mindful of the historic nature of her candidacy. During her tearful primary election victory speech in August, with her mother by her side, she said relatives in the West Bank were watching her success. "It just shows how incredibly wonderful our country can be," she said. "All the ugliness and the hatred that you hear out there, it's not who we are." With no Republican opposing Tlaib, she will be elected next week to a two-year term to replace longtime Congressman John Conyers who stepped down in December amid sexual harassment allegations and failing health. First Somali-American lawmaker Ilhan Omar also has forged a progressive political identity. She supports free college education, housing for all, and criminal justice reform. The hijab-wearing Minnesota state lawmaker's personal identity has played a big role in her campaign. She is the first Somali-American legislator in the US. Omar fled her native country's civil war at the age of eight, and later immigrated with her family to the US. She was inspired by politics early on, when accompanying her grandfather to his first election vote. "I just fell in love with politics and with what it could do," she told Elle magazine in September. "I decided to run because I was one of many people I knew who really wanted to demonstrate what representative democracies are supposed to be." In 2016, the 36-year-old won an uncontested seat in the legislature of her Midwestern home state, where there is a sizable Somali population. Running for a congressional seat in a heavily-Democratic district that includes the city of Minneapolis, she is expected to easily defeat her Republican challenger. She would replace Keith Ellison, who was the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2006. He gave up his seat to run for the state's attorney general's office.

US voters poised to elect 2 Muslim women to Congress in midterm elections