Among disappointed Democrats in the US, the soul-searching has begun after being defeated in the midterm elections.
And for some of the high-profile candidates, it was a case of putting on a brave face in front of their supporters who fought a hard battle.
Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democrat candidate in Kentucky for the Senate, said: “While tonight didn’t bring us the result that we had hoped for, this journey, the fight for you – it was worth it. I will continue to fight for the commonwealth of Kentucky each and every day.”
Colorado’s defeated Democrat, Mark Udall, said: “As long as I’ve had the privilege to serve the people of Colorado, I’ve always felt that I’ve come out ahead and tonight is no exception.”
And North Carolina’s defeated Democrat, Kay Hagan, told her supporters: “You weren’t just standing with me though, you were standing with working families all across North Carolina. Those are the families that I have worked to represent my six years in the US Senate, and those are the families that still need a voice.”
With the race so tight in many states, tens of millions of dollars was poured into the campaigning, but in the end it just was not enough to turn the tide.
President Obama’s low popularity was seen as a liability for Democrat candidates in many of the hotly contested seats.
