‘Good day for democracy’

WASHINGTON (AFP) — United States President Joe Biden has hailed a "good day for democracy" after a surprisingly strong performance in midterm elections, with Republicans inching toward a slim majority in only one chamber of Congress.

"It was a good day I think for democracy. And I think it was a good day for America," Biden told a White House news conference on Wednesday.

"While the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn't happen."

It was also an underwhelming night for former president Donald Trump, who was counting on a big Republican showing to boost another White House run.

"While in certain ways yesterday's election was somewhat disappointing, from my personal standpoint it was a very big victory — 219 WINS and 16 Losses," Trump said in a reference to candidates he personally endorsed.

Republicans appear to be on track to reclaim the 435-member House for the first time since 2018, but by a mere handful of seats.

For his part, Biden pointed out in a tweet that — while the count in some places was still ongoing — his party "lost fewer seats in the House of Representatives than any Democratic president's first midterm election in at least 40 years."

An election drubbing would have surely raised questions on whether Biden should run again in 2024. But instead he did better than his two Democratic predecessors, Barack Obama or Bill Clinton, who both took a hammering in their first midterms.

Asked about his plans at Wednesday's press conference, Biden said it was still his "intention to run again" — but that he would decide for sure "early next year."

Victory for abortion rights

America's oldest-ever president, who turns 80 this month, Biden hailed the "historic numbers" of young people who voted and pointed to support for the right to abortion, which was rescinded in June by a Supreme Court transformed by Trump appointees.

US voters sided with protecting access to the procedure in several ballot initiatives, in a rebuke of the Supreme Court's June decision to overturn constitutional abortion rights.

Voters in California, Vermont and Michigan strongly endorsed proposed state charter amendments guaranteeing the right to have an abortion.

In Republican stronghold Kentucky — where abortion has been outlawed since the Supreme Court ruling — voters rejected an amendment to the state charter that would have in effect made it impossible to challenge the state's ban.

In Montana, the fifth state with an abortion measure on the ballot, a preliminary count indicated voters there also opposed proposed legislation hostile to the procedure.

Other referendums

As part of the midterm elections, voters cast ballots in around 100 referendums.

Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont voted to prohibit enslavement or involuntary servitude as punishment for crimes or payment of debts or fines.

The votes will not automatically change conditions for prisoners but could lead to legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, Arkansas, North and South Dakota voted against legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and authorizing limited possession of pot.

However, Maryland and Missouri residents voted in favor and will join 19 other states and Washington, where it is already legal.