No 'Red Wave,' but GOP Had Midterm Successes

Given Republicans' outsized expectations of a "red tsunami" on Election Day, many GOP voters, analysts, and politicians woke up the next morning feeling dismal about their party's performance in the 2022 midterms – but Nov. 8 was far from a failure, as Republicans managed to pull off some stunners in Democrat strongholds and will likely control the House in January.

In the initial shock of a less-than-dominant outcome, swaths of Republicans reflexively blamed former President Donald Trump, who encouraged and endorsed several candidates who ultimately came up short in competitive races. But political strategists say that explanation may be more convenient than it is accurate.