DEBATE: In losing the US House of Representatives, has President Trump lost his mandate?

In losing the US House of Representatives, has President Trump lost his mandate?

David Waywell, author and political commentator, says YES.

Republican losses in the midterms were not as overwhelming as some might have predicted, but defeats in the House of Representatives do mean that Donald Trump loses the mandate he took rather for granted.

The rumoured “Blue Wave” was always an optimistic hope given the divided state of America – yet the Democratic flood waters did rise enough to make the resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue cast an uneasy eye towards the Hill.

There, Trump will still have his way wherever the Senate has the final say, particularly on judicial appointments, but the loss of the House means that he will have to seek compromises to pursue his legislative agenda. And it is not immediately clear that the “deal-maker” will be able to make deals with those across the aisle, even if he wanted to.

The 2020 presidential election is looming, and the Democrats now have instruments of congressional oversight to inflict pain on the President who has so enraged them. It’s hard to see either party becoming conciliatory.

Kate Andrews, City A.M. columnist and American living in London, says NO.

The American system is based on checks and balances. After an eight-year Republican stronghold on the House of Representatives, it is not surprising that voters have returned some power to the opposition.

Compare the roughly extra 30 seats secured by the Democrats last night to the 63 seat pick-up the Republicans had in 2010 – this was not the “Blue Wave” that was predicted, but a normal balancing act that comes with a midterm election. No doubt, the Democrats have had a taste of success, but the Republicans will be claiming some level of victory as well, taking seats from the Democrats in the Senate, legitimising their majority there.

Voters have asked the Democrats to take part in the time-old tradition of holding the other party to further account, but this is by no means a mandate for a totally different agenda.

Despite spending more money than ever before at a midterm, the US remains truly split politically. Only time – and a 2020 election – will tell which path the country wants to follow.