Trump applauds, jeers Minnesota candidates after midterm elections

(KMSP) - With a split congress in Washington, both Democrats and the President are claiming victory after the midterm elections.

President Trump criticized the Republican candidates who didn't "embrace" him and then lost, but he also praised the winners who took his side all along. Those include one loser and one winner from Minnesota.  

In post-midterm news conferences, both President Trump and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi pointed to hope for unity.

“For the vision of our founders, the diversity of our country, the beauty of our land, the values in our constitution, first and foremost, we think there’s an opportunity to work together,” Pelosi said.

“Hopefully we can all work together next year to continue delivering for the American people,” said Trump.  

Still, after Democrats picked up more than two dozen seats in the house, the President called out Republicans who stood with him or against him, including two Minnesotans.

“Pete Stauber of Minnesota, great guy,” Trump said. “He’s new and ran a fantastic race. On the other hand, you had guys that decided to, let’s stay away, let’s stay away. They did very poorly.”

“Erik Paulsen didn’t want the embrace,” Trump said.

In the final weeks of the campaign, the President endorsed Erik Paulsen with a tweet.

Paulsen said he wanted the President to endorse his position on the issues instead.  

“So if I have a difference of opinion with the President on tariff policy for instance, or the Boundary Waters, or on immigration, I’ll make sure I’m standing up to him or my own party in those cases,” Paulsen said.

The Third District incumbent was easily unseated by the DFL’s Dean Phillips. It was the first time a Democrat has won the seat since 1961.

“Representation begins with listening and that means listening to everyone,” Phillips said.

That hope is for coexistence and perhaps even cooperation for a new freshman class in Washington.

“They will immediately be incorporated into our building of consensus in how we go forward in a very open, transparent, bipartisan, unifying congress,” Pelosi said.

Both Pelosi and the President mentioned lowering the cost of prescription drugs and improving infrastructure as part of their agendas.