Politico reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called Republicans’ midterm defeats “close to an extinction-level event,” saying campaigns missed voters’ concerns about jobs, the economy and artificial intelligence.
The Associated Press projected Democrats would control both chambers of Congress. EconoTimes previously reported on the chamber projection.
At a news conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday, DeSantis said the Democratic wins showed voters were unhappy with Republicans in Washington, not that they backed liberal policies, Politico reported. Politico reported that DeSantis criticized Republican campaigns for giving transgender issues more attention than employment, the economy and artificial intelligence. He credited Democratic gains partly to candidates raising questions about AI rules and data center growth, Politico reported.
Politico reported that DeSantis criticized Republicans who resisted releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased sex offender, calling that stance “a bad vote.” DeSantis described a congressional stock-trading ban as “a breath of fresh air for everybody” and faulted Congress for not passing one, Politico reported.
He said immigration enforcement was not a major factor in the results and argued that Democratic wins did not amount to a mandate for their policies, Politico reported. Politico reported that DeSantis gave no details about his political future when asked about the 2028 presidential race.
