For months, pundits and politicians alike have been arguing over whether the country was about to experience a blue wave of Democrats or a red wave of conservatives. Each side claimed they had unstoppable momentum and would not only beat back their opponents, they would overwhelm them. As the last votes are counted and the last candidates conceded, which party actually won? The Tylt's Editor-at-Large Jessie Blaeser and Politics Editor Cait Bladt break down what color was the wave?

PERSPECTIVES

The president is touting the election as a major victory for republicans. He called the results a "tremendous success," and despite losing power in the House, Trump doesn't seem very concerned about accomplishing his agenda over the next two years.

Received so many Congratulations from so many on our Big Victory last night, including from foreign nations (friends) that were waiting me out, and hoping, on Trade Deals. Now we can all get back to work and get things done! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018

The numbers, however, tell a different story than the president. In the House of Representatives, Democrats picked up 27 seats, placing them well over the 218 needed to control the chamber.

Even so, in the Senate, Republicans expanded their control. Republicans now hold 52 Senate seats, while Democrats only hold 46. Given the states where many seats were up for grabs, Republican domination in Senate races proves that conservative messaging is still resonating with rural voters. As The Washington Post points out:

Many Democrats claimed that this race would be a "referendum" on the Trump administration, and after the fact, many are also claiming a blue-wave-victory for winning the House. In reality, the results are split. Conservative messaging won with rural voters, moderate messaging largely took the suburbs, and progressive messaging is still uncertain.

One of the most-watched races of the midterms was for Ted Cruz's Senate seat. Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke ran against Cruz and quickly gained national attention. Despite having one of the best-financed races in the country, O'Rourke still fell short, dashing Democrats' hopes of some purple in the staunchly red state.

The New York Times' Manny Fernandez reported on Cruz's comments after the election was called:

Even though Democrats faced some crushing defeats, there were plenty of major milestones for the party to celebrate across the country. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a single mother and daughter of Palestinian immigrants, and Ilhan Omar or Minnesota, a Somali-American woman, become the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. Their victories are being seen as a step forward for Muslim rights and recognition in the country, even as the president pursues anti-Muslim policies. According to ELLE:

Jared Polis became the first openly gay governor in the country, sweeping to victory in Colorado. The win was especially sweet because of Colorado's history of virulently anti-gay legislation. Per The Washington Post:

Republicans also came away with a number of high-profile gubernatorial races, despite the fact that many Democrats hoped the "blue wave" would encompass these races across the country-Georgia's in particular. Reports say that this race is still too close to call as of Nov. 7, but all signs point to Republican Brian Kemp becoming the next governor of Georgia.

Kemp espouses conservative values and boasts of his "political incorrectness." Kemp's presumed victory demonstrates that the majority of people are tired of walking on their tiptoes around progressives.

Conservatives also claimed victory in Florida's gubernatorial race. Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum made headlines when he upset frontrunner Gwen Graham in the primary. Despite blue excitement, Gillum conceded to Republican candidate Ron DeSantis at 11 p.m. on the evening of the election.

The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei and Frances Robles reported on the race and highlighted DeSantis' comments after his victory:

DeSantis' victory marks the 20th consecutive year that Republicans have won the governor's race in Florida. In this case, the blue wave was not strong enough to break tradition.

Yet even the state of Florida was divided. The state voted to elect hyper-Conservative DeSantis while also passing a Constitutional Amendment to allow felons to vote, a right the state had previously denied its citizens. According to PBS:

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.