Welch Statement on Senate and House Democrats’ Victories in the Midterms

“Our victory is a clear repudiation of Donald Trump’s reckless agenda and his failure to deliver for the American people.”

BURLINGTON, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement on Democrats flipping the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives:

“Our victory is a clear repudiation of Donald Trump’s reckless agenda and his failure to deliver for the American people. The president has forced us into an illegal war in the Middle East, raised costs and taxes by igniting a trade war with our allies, and threatened our democratic institutions. Communities are less safe, hardworking families are struggling to make ends meet, and Americans’ faith in our democratic institutions has eroded. Yesterday, voters said ‘Enough!’

“Democrats have an opportunity to deliver for Americans. We must be laser-focused on lowering costs for folks in red and blue states alike; we must fight like hell to restore their access to health care and nutrition; and we must invest in rural communities, which have been left behind and hollowed out. This election will give us the chance to earn the trust of the American people and enact the policies they deserve.

“We have talented new leaders in the House and the Senate who are ready for the fight. I congratulate my friend Becca Balint on her reelection to the House of Representatives and look forward to seeing all she accomplishes in the Majority. I celebrate my colleagues in the Senate who were reelected to serve their states, and welcome so many talented Senators to the Democratic Caucus—including Chris Pappas, Juliana Stratton, Roy Cooper, Josh Turek, Adam Hamilton, Annie Andrews, Sherrod Brown, James Talarico, Peggy Flanagan, Troy Jackson, Abdul El-Sayed—and hopefully even more in the coming hours and days as votes are counted. These outstanding leaders faced enormous headwinds, including billions of dollars of dark money and attacks by Republican-aligned SuperPACs, and they delivered us the majority.

“Exciting change is coming, but there are challenges ahead. Donald Trump is still the president, and he has the veto pen and a penchant for executive overreach. We cannot take our foot off the gas or back down in the fight against this corrupt White House. While we show the American people what we stand for by passing policies to lower costs and repair our economy, we must also hold President Trump accountable with vigorous oversight.

“With unity, focus, and hard work, the Democratic Majority will deliver for the American people.”

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