Biden Emphasizes House Election Victory, Seeks Re-election as Speaker
Democrats Criticized... Lose 6 House Seats Amid Senate Majority Failure
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has caused a stir by calling Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, the "president-elect," claiming that the Democratic Party won both the presidential and House elections. The U.S. presidential election results are still pending in several battleground states, so neither Biden nor President Donald Trump has declared victory yet.
According to U.S. political media outlet Politico and other foreign media on the 6th (local time), Speaker Pelosi held the first briefing after the election at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., stating, "This morning, the Biden-Harris White House journey has been confirmed," and added, "President-elect Biden holds strong command authority. It is a happy day for our country." However, seemingly aware of the Democratic Party's poor performance in the Senate and House elections, she self-assessed, "We did not win every House battle, but we won the war."
Politico reported that Pelosi's briefing came amid criticism from senior Democrats dissatisfied with the results of the Senate and House elections. According to the current vote count for the U.S. House elections, the Democrats have secured 211 seats, the Republicans 194 seats, and 30 seats remain undecided. The Democrats took five seats from the Republicans but lost six seats. In the Senate, the Democrats currently hold 48 seats, the Republicans 47 seats, and in the remaining five seats, Republican candidates are leading, making it difficult for the Democrats to become the majority party in the Senate.
Speaker Pelosi emphasized, "Some members expressed concerns about what happened in their districts, but most of those worried have won," and sent a letter to Democratic members on the day, announcing her intention to run for re-election as Speaker in the next Congress. She added, "Our vision for the next two years is based on the success of the 116th Congress Democrats holding the majority in the House," and said, "With this in mind, I am sending you a letter requesting your support for my re-election as Speaker."
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