GOP Wave Sweeps Midterms

Published November 5, 2014 at 12:06 PM EST

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) celebrates with his wife Elaine Chao at his election night event November 4, 2014 in Louisville, Ky. Tuesday's election paved the way for McConnell to take over the now GOP controlled Senate as majority leader. (Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

The Republican Party dominated the midterm elections Tuesday. The GOP captured control of the Senate and solidified their hold on the House, as voters expressed displeasure with President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Here & Now’s Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson check in with our political analyst, Rick Klein, to see how this landscape shift will affect Congress and Washington politics going forward.

Chris Grant, a political science teacher at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, also joins us to talk about what happened in Georgia’s Senate race and how Republican businessman David Perdue was able to make this a race about President Barack Obama — a playbook that worked across the country during this year’s midterm elections.

Perdue defeated Democrat Michelle Nunn by eight points (45 to 53). Perdue will replace retiring Senator Saxby Chambliss. Grant will also touch upon what this will mean for Democrats moving forward, after losing control of the Senate.

Guest

Rick Klein, political director at ABC News. He tweets @rickklein.
Chris Grant, political science teacher at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.