When you walk through uptown Saint John on the final day of the cruise ship season, you hear a variety of opinions. The final ship brought roughly 3,600 people to the city for shopping and dining. Many of these visitors are from the United States and they bring mixed feelings about their recent midterm elections. The results saw both the House of Representatives and Senate flip from Republican to Democrat.

American Tourists Share Their Views

According to a report by CTV News Atlantic, voters expressed strong opinions on the streets of Saint John.

Steve Sanford spent 26 years with the United States Marine Corps. He offered a blunt assessment of the outcome.

“I thought the results sucked,” Sanford told CTV News.

New Jersey resident Kevin Scully shared a similar sentiment.

“Disappointing,” Scully said. “I didn’t think that it would be such a bloodbath. The one thing great about the United States is that they have a tendency to rectify who they voted in two years later and we will see what happens.”

Chris Baker from Texas expressed confusion over the shift.

“I think a lot of people in the Conservative Party such as myself are a bit mystified that it went as far left as it did,” Baker said. “As a Trump supporter I personally would like to see him get back to what he was promising over the campaign trail. Let’s get these diesel and gas prices down.”

Other visitors welcomed the change. Patrick Young felt positive about the results.

“When you look at the corruption and the government, when you look at gas prices being extremely high, and when you look at tariffs in a very unpopular war, it all added up to being quite a bloodbath,” Young said. “I am hoping over the next two years both sides can come together, work together closely and if not I think we will see more of it two years from now on with a total repudiation of the Trump administration.”

Local Political Ripple Effects

The midterm results carry significant weight for Canada. The United States subjected Canada to tariffs under President Donald Trump. The previous Republican control of the Senate and House made it easy for the president to enforce his tariff policies.

New Brunswick PC MLA Glen Savoie hopes the president accepts the results with dignity. Savoie also directed criticism at New Brunswick leadership.

“We have a premier who hasn’t done anything to improve the situation between New Brunswick and Maine,” Savoie said. “Point to me anything concrete that she has done that has helped our situation. I encouraged her to make part of the New England governors, all of the different functions and groups that New Brunswick is part of, she didn’t show up for some of them.”

Savoie emphasized the importance of local leadership for a trade exposed province like New Brunswick.

CTV News Atlantic reached out to New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt for an interview but received an emailed statement instead.

“Our focus continues to be fighting for the best possible trade deal and delivering good paying jobs for New Brunswickers,” Holt said in the statement. “We are looking forward to building relationships with the newly elected Governors, Senators and Congresspeople and expect that their leadership will result in improved trade conditions for NB entrepreneurs and workers.”

A Blue Tsunami

St. Thomas University political scientist Jamie Gillies tracked the results closely.

“It was a blue tsunami,” Gillies said. “I don’t even think the Democrats quite understood how big that wave was going to be but by the end of the night, and still into the morning hours where they are counting in places like Alaska, still it looks like the Democrats have exceeded their expectations.”

One major upset saw Maine Democrat Troy Jackson defeat longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins.

New Brunswickers watch this race closely because Maine imports billions of products from the province including electricity, softwood lumber, and seafood.

Gillies noted the Democratic sweep makes it difficult for the president to push forward additional tariffs. He expects the results to change the president’s perception heading into the final two years of his term.

“He also has to think about his legacy and right now there is a great deal of animus towards him and his policies even among his own supporters,” Gillies said. “How do you rebuild that enough to leave office with a positive legacy and a positive image? The vast majority of Americans do not think he is doing a good job as president.”

Gillies sees an incentive for the United States to strike a deal with Canada. He pointed out that many tariff impacted states flipped seats. He expects Prime Minister Mark Carney and New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc to lead trade negotiations and change the narrative with the Trump administration.

“We also have a lame duck session in Congress where some things can also happen,” Gillies said. “Maybe there is an opportunity with the existing Republicans who are out of office in January where there is some wiggle room here to maybe get something larger in terms of deals and negotiations with the United States.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are US midterm elections important to New Brunswick?

The election results directly impact trade policies and tariffs. New Brunswick exports billions of dollars in products like electricity, softwood lumber, and seafood to states like Maine. Changes in US leadership influence these trade agreements.

How did American tourists in Saint John react to the election results?

Tourists shared mixed reactions. Some conservative voters expressed disappointment and confusion over the Democratic wins. Other voters felt relieved and hoped the results would address issues like high gas prices and government corruption.

What does the Democratic win mean for US and Canada trade?

Political experts believe the Democratic sweep makes it harder for the US president to impose new tariffs. This shift creates an incentive for the United States to negotiate better trade deals with Canada.