Donald Trump invokes ‘red wave’ in US midterm elections as Republicans and Democrats both avoid embarrassment
Both Democrats and Republicans avoided embarrassment in the primary votes on Tuesday night, but Trump said his ‘impact’ could lead to a ‘red wave’ of Republican wins
Both Republicans and Democrats appear to have escaped embarrassment after eight states voted in primary elections on Tuesday, selecting candidates to go head-to-head in November’s midterm elections.
US President Donald Trump cast the night as a win for Republicans. “So much for the big Blue Wave, it may be a big Red Wave,” he tweeted on Wednesday morning, hailing what he called “the Trump impact”.
Democrats fight for a ‘blue wave’ on eight-state primary day
While some California contests remained too close to call, Republicans avoided disaster in the race for governor by nominating business executive John Cox.
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, easily captured the top spot in California’s unique top-two primary system, in which the top two finishers qualify for the November ballot, regardless of party. Cox finished second, putting to rest Republican fears that no one from their party would appear on the November ballot for the state’s top office.
Democrats were fighting to avoid similar potential calamities in California’s many competitive House districts, considered critical in their quest to seize control of Congress this fall.
