President Biden made a surprise phone call to Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday, congratulating him on his reelection, Bloomberg reported.
Biden has called a slew of Democrats who won their midterm races since Tuesday evening, but his call with DeWine may be the first he made to a Republican. DeWine cruised to victory over Democratic challenger Nan Whaley with nearly 63% of the vote.
The call is particularly surprising given former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of DeWine.
DeWine is one of several Republican governors who successfully fended off Democratic challengers on Tuesday.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp dispatched Democrats Charlie Crist, Beto O’Rourke and Stacey Abrams respectively.
DeSantis and DeWine enjoyed the biggest wins of the night, however, trouncing their opponents by 20 points or more.
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Republicans fared worse in Congress, however, where expectations of a red wave in the House of Representatives were met with only a trickle. The Senate also remains a toss-up after Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz conceded to Democrat John Fetterman on Wednesday morning.
Republican hopes for control over the Senate now lay with Herschel Walker in Georgia and Blake Masters in Arizona. Walker’s race against Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-GA, appears headed toward a runoff election, while Masters is trailing behind Sen. Mark Kelly, D-AZ.
