Republicans return to Washington to sift through wreckage of midterms rout

Republicans returned to Congress after heavy midterm losses, with lawmakers split over whether the scale of the defeat had been foreseeable. The result leaves Democrats with large majorities in both chambers and intensifies debate among Republicans about their record and direction.

Some Republicans blamed economic concerns and voters feeling unheard, while others pointed to unfulfilled campaign promises and cuts to Medicaid that could hurt rural hospitals. The article reports Democratic leads of 54 seats in the Senate and 254 in the House, with counting ongoing; Mississippi’s Senate race remained too close to call.