After what turned out to be an incredibly heated election season, with record-level volunteer and turnout numbers, Tennesseans finally have results. For the most part, the nation has results – although in some areas we still await the vote tallies in places like Florida and Arizona. This op-ed was written in advance of results being finalized in either state, but we can clearly see a trend across the nation: division. We see ourselves embarking upon the task of deciding how to cooperate and legislate in the midst of a divided congress and, frankly, a divided country. At the end of the day, we’re confident that the House of Representatives will be held by Democrats, and the Senate held still by Republicans. Now that the democrats have control of a chamber on the national level, it’s up to them to decide if they will get to the business of governing, and trying to help Republicans heal America’s wounds, or if we will continue to see the tactics of division and separation that motivated so many Republicans to come out and vote in the first place. Many incumbent democrats in the Senate lost their seats due to their divisive behavior. It was substantial: McCaskill lost by a six point margin, Donnelly lost by a seven point margin, Heitkamp lost by a nearly eleven point margin, and the ‘luckiest man alive’ in Florida, Bill Nelson, has seen his luck run out.

Many have characterized this election as one where both sides have things to be proud about. We think that all Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, should be proud of the level of engagement we saw in this past midterm election. We think that all Tennesseans, regardless of their political affiliation, should be proud of the fact that Tennessee broke another glass ceiling on Tuesday in electing Marsha Blackburn to the United States Senate – the first woman to hold that position in Tennessee’s history. As a chapter, we are also proud of the results in Tennessee: Bill Lee will make an excellent governor and will carry on the legacy of bringing a better education to Tennesseans, improving our infrastructure, and aiding the rural areas of the state where assistance is greatly needed. We’re thrilled to see Congressman David Kustoff receive the chance to return to Washington and continue his good work, bringing about better economic policies, veterans’ benefits, and promoting a return to law and order policies. After months of making phone calls, volunteering on campaigns, and being involved, Rhodes College Republicans could not be prouder of the results we saw in the State of Tennessee, and in many places across the nation.

It’s time to see how those who gained power decide how to govern. We hope that Democrats will put partisanship on the backburner and help us reform our infrastructure, fix our healthcare system, and move the nation in a positive direction. We look forward to seeing what they decide.