The U.S. Capitol at sunrise, one day after the midterm elections, in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2026.

(CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA) There were lots of surprises on the evening of Nov. 3 when the picture of the Democratic midterm success began to be painted on network news touch screens.

The maps kept getting bluer. Eventually, it was clear that this was not an ordinary midterm cycle when the party out of power slaps the wrist of the sitting president and his administration.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.