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Transcript/ScriptWashington Week Ahead (TV)
HEADLINE: Democrats Defy History, Retain Senate Control in Midterm Elections
TEASER: Some races for the US House of Representatives too close to call
PUBLISHED: 11/13/22 4:31p
BYLINE: Arash Arabasadi
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: AP/ KTNV/ ABC “THIS WEEK”/TWITTER
SCRIPT EDITORS: MPage; caw
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP/ KTNV/ ABC “THIS WEEK”/TWITTER
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO __
TRT: 2:57
NOTE:
VID APPROVED BY: mp
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: ))
(INTRO) [[The projected “red wave” of Republicans sweeping to power and controlling both chambers of the U.S. Congress fell flat in the midterm elections. Updated vote counts show Democrats will hold at least 50 seats in the incoming Senate in 2023. Republican are edging closer to winning the House of Representatives, but some races remain too close to call. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.]]
((mandatory cg KTNV))
((NARRATOR))
Democrats will retain control of the United States Senate. Despite predictions of losing both the House of Representatives and the upper chamber, President Joe Biden’s party exceeded all expectations in this election cycle.
((NARRATOR))
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, the first woman from Nevada and first Latina ever elected to the Senate defeated…
((NARRATOR))
...Republican and former state attorney general Adam Laxalt, in a thin victory.
((NARRATOR))
The win ensures Democrats will maintain at least one chamber of Congress in the final two years of President Biden’s current term.
((NARRATOR))
It also means New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer will remain the majority leader. On a trip to Cambodia, Biden wasted no time heaping praise.
[RADIO TRACK: Biden speaking to pool reporters as provided by The Associated Press.]
((BIDEN ACT, English))
“I tell you what, congratulations to Senator Schumer. He’s got a majority again. And we’re focusing now on Georgia. We feel good about where we are. And I know I’m a cockeyed [impractical] optimist. I understand that. But I’m not surprised by the turnout. I’m incredibly pleased by the turnout. And I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates.”
((NARRATOR))
“Candidate quality” has been a recurring theme in this election, with Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell having previously criticized his own party’s candidates, with others joining in.
[RADIO TRACK: New Hampshire’s Republican Governor Chris Sununu speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week”]
((mandatory cg ABC “THIS WEEK” / TWITTER))
((Gov. Chris Sununu, Republican))
“Candidate quality matters. There’s a sense of extremism that a lot of Republicans were painted with, rightfully or not… As Americans we’ve got to fix extremism right now, and I think that’s exactly what you saw.”
((NARRATOR))
Still looming large over the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump’s hand-picked candidates who didn’t fare as well as he’d hoped…
((NARRATOR))
...like celebrity Doctor Mehmet Oz, who lost his race in Pennsylvania to Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman …
((NARRATOR))
And Blake Masters, who lost his bid against Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.
[RADIO TRACK: Incumbent Democratic Senator and former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly as provided by ABC and carried by The Associated Press.]
((Sen. Mark Kelly, Democrat))
“I’m so honored that Arizona has entrusted me to represent our state in the United States Senate for six more years…”
((NARRATOR))
With 50 seats, Democrats effectively control the Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris as Senate president casting tiebreaking votes.
((NARRATOR))
Only one state’s outcome remains undecided in the Senate race, and that’s Georgia. Republican and former football star Herschel Walker…
((NARRATOR))
…and Democratic Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock are headed to a runoff election December 6th. Georgia is one of two states requiring that a candidate earn at least 50 percent of all votes to win.
((NARRATOR))
The House of Representatives, meanwhile, remains too close to call, but Republicans do appear likely to reach the 218-seat threshold required to secure a majority.
[RADIO TRACK: Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Sunday on ABC’s “This Week”]
((mandatory cg ABC “THIS WEEK” / TWITTER))
((Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat))
“Whatever the outcome, we’re on the path to taking our country to a better place than was being dragged down by the other side.”
((NARRATOR))
With the Senate decided, the country may still be weeks away from knowing who controls the House, as election workers continue counting ballots.
(Arash Arabasadi, VOA News)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
in Washington D.C.
Embargo DateNovember 13, 2022 15:35 EST
Byline
(Arash Arabasadi, VOA News)
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
