A new balance of power

America is blushing a deep red. The nation has spoken, and as a result of Tuesday's midterm elections, Republicans have regained influence in the House of Representatives. 

Since 2006, Democrats have held the majority of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Until Tuesday night, that is. After all was said, done and counted, Republicans managed a net gain of 60 seats, the largest gain since 1938 when the GOP added 81 seats.

The Republican wave didn't neglect to wash over New Hampshire. Former Attorney General Republican Kelly Ayotte claimed victory in the race for Senate. Ayotte defeated Democratic candidate Paul Hodes by a wide margin, procuring 60% of the votes (Source: Associated Press).

New Hampshire also elected two Republicans to the House of Representatives. In District 1, Frank Guinta took the seat with 54% of the votes, defeating Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who only received 43% voter support. In District 2, Republican Charlie Bass managed a narrow victory over Democrat Annie Kuster, with 49% of the votes to her 46% (Source: Associated Press).

Despite all the red, New Hampshire's incumbent governor, Democrat John Lynch, was reelected for a historic fourth consecutive term, defeating rival John Stephen in the race.

In contempt of the stifling Republican sweep in the House, the Democrats have managed to maintain a slim majority in the Senate. Amongst the victories, many individual elects were particularly significant for the Democrats.

Senator Harry Reid's victory in Nevada was a symbolic win for the Democratic Party. As incumbent Senate Majority Leader, his win served as a great dose of comfort to the party.

In Delaware, Tea Party candidate and subject of months of news criticism Christine O'Donnell suffered defeat to Democrat Chris Coons in the senatorial race. And in New York, Democrats Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand both took over 60% of the votes in their races to the Senate.

In California, Democrat Barbara Boxer won the senatorial seat with 52% of the votes, thwarting her opponent Republican Carly Fiorina by 10 percentage points. 

But candidate's names weren't the only things that appeared on California's ballot. Proposition 19, also known as the Regulate, Control & Tax Cannabis Act, was a ballot initiative to legalize the possession of marijuana for recreational use. The initiative failed, with 66.5% voting against the proposition, but there is no denying the recognition the issue has gained in recent years.

An activist from Oaksterdam University in CA said, "Prop 19 has clearly moved the legalization of marijuana into mainstream focus" (Source: CNN). 

Though the midterm elections have no direct effect on the offices in the White House, the results are often a great gauge of the nation's support, or lack thereof, of the current administration. With the general sweep of Republican victories across the nation and their impressive gain in the House of Representatives, the nation seems to be expressing their frustration with the Obama administration.

With the Democrats still in control of the Senate, and with the Republicans' newfound majority in the House, it will be interesting, to say the least, to watch what unfolds in Congress in the upcoming months. What's bound to be more interesting is how Obama and his administration cooperate with the remarkably red House. Can the House and Senate embrace bipartisanship and solve the decade's most detrimental puzzles? Or will this divided Congress continue to furrow the holes we've dug ourselves in?