[US Midterm Elections] Pelosi: "Democrats Have a Chance to Retain House Control"

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Photo by The Hill)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] As the voting for the US midterm elections, which evaluate the two years of President Joe Biden's administration, has concluded, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, said that the Democratic Party still has a chance to retain control of the House.

On the afternoon of the 8th (local time), appearing on the US public broadcaster PBS NewsHour, Speaker Pelosi responded "Yes" to anchor Judy Woodruff's question about whether the Democrats have a way to maintain control of the House.

When asked if President Biden's low approval ratings had been an obstacle to the Democrats' efforts, Pelosi replied, "Not at all." She emphasized, "He has been a great president but has not received enough respect and appreciation."

She then mentioned legislative achievements during Biden's first two years in office that drew attention, including the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and restrictions on abortion rights.

Pelosi's remarks came immediately after 6 p.m., when the midterm election voting held that day ended.

Prior to the election, many polls identified high inflation and the economy as major issues, with forecasts favoring the Republican Party to regain majority status not only in the House but also in the Senate.

According to FiveThirtyEight, which aggregates various polls to analyze election trends, President Biden's approval rating stood at 41.4%.

Pelosi said, "We know our democracy is at risk, and our planet is at risk, but we also understand that Americans' 'table stress' caused by inflation has impacted this election."

She added, "Just because political experts say you cannot win does not suppress the passion we have," emphasizing, "There will be surprising developments this evening."

In the midterm elections held as President Biden approaches the midpoint of his term, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and all 435 House seats are up for election.