OBAMA'S DREAM TURNED INTO NIGHTMARE AS REPUBLICAN GATHERED MOMENTUM

Two years ago, Barack Obama was swept into the White House on a wave of popular support for the Democrats. This morning, when the US president wakes up, his dream will have turned into a nightmare overnight as Republicans were poised to gain control of at least one house of Congress.

• A Republican landslide gathered momentum across the 37 US Senate seats up for grabs in yesterday's mid-term elections, and the party needed just 10 seats to regain control of the Upper House. To do that, however, they would need to win all of the tight races.
• In the House of Representatives, the Republicans needed to win 39 seats to regain control, well within their reach.
• Pre-vote polling unanimously gave the Republicans the edge in most contests, with only the extent of the rout to be decided by angry voters.

Only a huge turnout by Democratic supporters could stem the tide of popular discontent.

Source: Reuters