PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Senate and House races have been called in Pennsylvania—and the results could give insight on what the 2024 presidential election will produce.
Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race was the most expensive race in the nation's history. Including their primaries, candidates John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz both poured in a combined total of more than $373 million, according to OpenSecret, a nonpartisan groups that tracks money in politics.
With a single race garnering this amount of money, political experts said there is no question that Pennsylvania will remain a swing state.
And it is not just the Keystone State.
Arizona, Georgia and Nevada showed hotly-contested races this midterm, despite many political pundits predicting a "red wave" of Republican victories.
Dr. Fletcher McClellan, professor of political science at Elizabethtown College, said Republican candidates aligning themselves with certain top issues caused this wave to recede—and gave room for democratic victories.
"One would be the abortion issue," said Dr. McClellan. "Without it, Democrats would not be as motivated to turn out as they did.”
What remains to be seen is the Republican strategy heading into the 2024 presidential election.
Experts say mixed reviews on candidates that former President Donald Trump endorsed—despite making gains in places like Florida, Ohio and Missouri—are cause for caution moving forward.
“I think the Trump factor has to be considered," said Dr. McClellan. "[He] hand-picked Dr. Oz and the gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. They are pretty much birds of a feather and I think that worked against them.”
Political experts saw newly re-elected governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, as being a strong contender against Donald Trump as the presidential nominee and future for the Republican party.