WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden, buoyed by midterm elections in which his fellow Democrats fared better than expected, said on Wednesday that Election Day on Tuesday was good for democracy but the results showed that Americans remained frustrated.
“It was a good day, I think, for democracy,” Biden told reporters at the White House.
White House officials have expressed a sense of vindication that Democrats did better than expected after Biden focused his campaign pitch largely on preventing threats to U.S. democracy, securing abortion rights and extolling his economic policies.
Republicans made modest gains in U.S. midterm elections and are likely to take control of the House of Representatives, but control of the Senate hinges on three races that remained too close to call on Wednesday afternoon. [L1N3250I7]
Biden said he was prepared to work with Republicans.
“The American people have made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans be prepared to work with me as well,” he said.
Biden said he would veto efforts to pass a national ban on abortion and opposed tax cuts for the wealthy, two policy proposals Republicans may pursue.
He said when he returns from a trip to Asia he would invite Democratic and Republican leaders to the White House to discuss priorities going forward.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Nandita Bose, Andrea Shalal and Heather TimmonsEditing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)
