Republicans ride the 'red wave' as the House hangs in the balance: Explaining the term
Donald Trump's election and Republicans winning control of the US Senate mean the GOP is close to accomplishing a "red wave" if they also take control of the US House.
With former President Donald Trump elected to a second term and Republicans winning control of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, GOP candidates continue to sweep the elections with only the U.S. House of Representatives still being up for grabs for the Democrats.
If Republicans gain control of the House, a "red wave" would be in effect, as the party would be in the majority across the federal government.
According to the Associated Press, the House hangs in the balance as dozens of races are yet to be called, with Republicans already occupying more than 200 seats as of Wednesday evening.
The Republicans have 52 seats in the Senate as of Wednesday evening, compared to the Democrats' 44, the AP reported. The chamber is currently controlled by the Democrats, who have 51 seats compared to the Republicans' 49.
With tides seemingly changing, here is what to know about the term "red wave."
What is a red wave?
A red wave is a term used when Republicans sweep the elections and gain or retain control across government, therefore giving them the power to pass policies easily and block opposers.
Ballotpedia defines "wave elections" as the 20% of elections where the president's party lost the most seats during the last 100 years (50 election cycles).
"While there is not an agreed-upon definition of waves in political science, a number of scholars and journalists have tried to define the concept focusing mostly on the House of Representatives," according to Ballotpedia. "Most frequently, political scientists will set a specific seat gain as being necessary for an election to qualify as a wave."
In contrast to a red wave, a "blue wave" can occur as well if Democrats win the presidency, the House and the Senate. The last time a blue wave occurred was in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president over late Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain.
What does a red wave in 2024 mean?
With Trump's election, and the possible red wave looming, Republicans will be able to act on policies that are important to them — including strict enforcement of immigration laws and border security, heavy tariffs on imported goods and conservative education policies.
"Look what happened – is this crazy?" Trump told screaming supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Wednesday morning.
Trump then called his supporters “the greatest political movement of all time” and said his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris and the various Republican wins in Congress provided “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
Contributing: Michael Collins & David Jackson/ Paste BN.