As America digests the final results of the midterm elections, seven US voters share their reactions to a Democratic-controlled Senate, the Republican win of the House and Donald Trump’s announcement that he will run for president again.

‘I voted Democrat for the first time’

“I’m generally a conservative Republican voter, but I voted Democrat for the first time in this election and was pleased to see them come out more or less ahead. I disagree with Democrats a lot, but I would rather have Democrats in control than Trumpists.

“Trump himself is probably the worst thing that has ever happened to the Republican party, and I hope the party as a whole takes this election result as a signal that they need to get rid of Trump’s influence before they can be taken seriously again. I intend to continue voting against Republicans, until I am satisfied that his influence on the party has been minimalized.

“I was hoping that Trump would take the hint from the lousy performance of his sycophants during the midterms and not run again. In the primary, I will most likely vote for whatever Republican has the best chance of stopping Trump from being the Republican nominee. If Trump does get the nomination again, I will most likely be voting for Biden. If Trump does not get the nomination, we’ll see.” John, 35, engineer, Eastern Shore, Virginia

‘The young person vote moved the needle’

“Overall I’m pretty frustrated with the midterm results. A divided Congress will likely mean less progress in passing the budget, any immigration reform, or healthcare reform. The way the US system is set up means situations like the Georgia senate election runoff are common. The US governing system is riddled with inefficiencies and the midterms seem to have exposed them, just like Covid did. It’s a shame that US voters typically only have two choices in the end, especially when half of those choices are election deniers.

“We can’t write Trump off. It’s clear he still has power. It surprised us in 2016 that he could win. We can’t let it surprise us now.

“On the positive side, more people in my age group voted and I am so thrilled about that! For years we’ve been labeled apathetic. I think the young person vote moved the needle.” Rebecca, 28, public servant, Sacramento, California

‘Trump’s campaign announcement is divisive’

“I am shocked that the Republicans did not do better, as every person I know is unhappy, angry or disillusioned. Perhaps that disillusionment led to many deciding to vote-split. I’m also shocked at the vitriol from Trump against [Florida governor] Ron DeSantis. That’s made a lot of right-leaning friends that still supported Trump seriously rethink that support.

“I’ve been a registered Democrat and Republican in my past, now I voted Libertarian in the Louisiana US Senate race, Republican for the House race, and a split of Rep/Dem for local races. I’m concerned that neither party actually plans on solving issues – crime, inflation, immigration.

“Trump’s campaign announcement is divisive. I have friends who love the drama and ‘making it up as he goes’ feeling because they are just so tired of the status quo, others see his campaign as nothing more than another fundraiser.

“I’m not exactly a Trump supporter, but I don’t see him as evil incarnate like others. I liked that he was an outsider who made Washington feel uncomfortable.

Chris, 43, supply chain manager, northern Louisiana

‘As an LGBTQ+ person, I feel relieved’

“As a young non-binary person, I feel relieved and cautiously optimistic about the results of the recent midterms. I was terrified by what a majority of Republicans in Congress could mean for the recognized rights of women and LGBTQ+ people – it’s hard enough for us as it is – but while the legislators we have received are far from perfect, I no longer feel in imminent danger of codified hate from a so-called ‘red wave’.

“I was encouraged to hear that the Trump campaign announcement received as lackluster a response as it did. After a term in office that was problematic at best and criminal at worst, it seems more people have realized a Trump-led America is anything but great, and that is something to be proud of. I agree with Trump on one thing: the country needs saving – just not from what he thinks it does.” Phy G, 22, YouTuber, Oklahoma

‘Nothing is more important than the environment’

“The circus that is called politics is simply a distraction from the real challenges we face from the environmental challenges ahead. Nothing is more important. Money that is generated by folks who pay taxes (I pay taxes on my retirement funds) goes into the pockets of the corporate elite due to tax breaks both parties support. The government needs to support a national health plan, free clean drinking water, and stabilize infrastructure, to name a few of our problems.”Robert Logan, 69, retired registered nurse, northern California

‘We could have told Washington we want change but didn’t’

“We are going backwards as a country, [with regards to] crime, poverty, inflation, homelessness, drugs, and government overspending [that has led to] inflation – which is a tax on the middle class.

“We as a country could have sent a strong message to Washington that we want change. We want to hold our leaders accountable. It just amazes me that as poor as we are doing people just vote the party not the issues. This administration is failing us, yet they remain unchecked. I lost confidence in our elections due to places like Arizona – how long does it really take to count votes? I thought it was election day, not election season or election month.

“I was born and raised a New York Democrat. Started feeling independent as the Democrats leaned way left, and voted for a mix of candidates that share my beliefs about hard work, family and God.” Anthony, retired assistant manager, New Jersey

‘Americans have become more interested in politics’

“Americans became more interested in politics [after] 2016, as the Republican party became more extreme. Therefore, more eligible voters voted in this midterm election. Voters under 50 outnumber voters over 50 and this year the younger group registered to vote and voted.

“Most Americans are moderate and want a quiet life. Unfortunately, they tend not to vote in the primaries. Therefore the Republican candidates tended to be the extreme 2020 election deniers, pro-voting restrictions and pro-birth. The Dobbs decision was pivotal for many voters, as most voters do not want to return to 1972.”Kathryn McDonald-Doctor, 65, retired financial adviser, Portland, Oregon

‘I voted Dem just as a protest vote, not because I’m happy with the Democrats’

“I’m registered independent and voted Democrat across the board. However, I am very unhappy with the performance of the Democrats in general and Biden’s in particular: the antagonistic posture with Russian and China, the amount of government spending, taxes, the lack of any thoughtful support for small business. For my taste there is for sure too much social wokeness.

“Although some of the policies that Trump supports I can get behind, the man is flawed and is past the point of no return. I feel there are no checks and balances placed to rein him in by the Republicans. I can’t, in good conscience, vote for the man who caused the January 6 mayhem, hence my vote for all Ds.

“But I am equally unhappy with Pelosi and her leadership team. In every sense my vote was a protest vote and not a vote for the Democrats. I view my vote as a down payment to see what happens in the next two years, and I am strongly considering withdrawing my down payment if things don’t change.” MK, 59, financial consultant and small business owner, Oklahoma