How Democrats Defied the Odds

<p>This week’s elections have been startlingly close. Control of both chambers of Congress remain up in the air.</p><p>Historically, the president’s party is blown away in midterms. And the Democrats were further hampered this time round by President Biden’s unpopularity.</p><p>Considering the headwinds, how did they do so well?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/nate-cohn?smid=pc-thedaily">Nate Cohn</a>, chief political analyst for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>President Biden appears to<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/us/politics/biden-midterms-republicans.html"> </a>have had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/us/politics/biden-midterms-republicans.html">the best midterms of any president in 20 years</a>.</li><li>Election denial<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/us/politics/trump-election-candidates-voting.html"> didn’t play as well as Republicans hoped</a>. And former President Donald Trump has<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/us/politics/trump-republicans-midterms.html"> faced unusual public attacks from across his party</a> following a string of losses.</li><li>As the results continue to come in,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/11/09/us/election-updates-midterms"> here are the latest updates</a>.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>