Obama was the Republicans’ greatest weapon last night. What will they do without him?

Anchorage, Alaska

You don’t mean a thing if your state’s not a swing, goes the saying in American elections. But if it is a swing, then a whirlwind of money, consultants and campaigners will be sent your way. Alaska has been invaded these last few weeks; armies of activists sent to knock on doors in what looks to be a failed attempt to keep control of the senate. Across the nation, victory went to the Republicans, but with a hitch: their victory depended on Barack Obama.

The president’s approval ratings are now down to those last seen by George W Bush. The Republicans won by denouncing Obama, and turning the mid-term elections into a referendum on his presidency. As well as the usual domestic issues, Obama has been blamed for mismanaging the Ebola outbreak and the emergence of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Different Republicans have blamed Obama for different reasons, but voters seemed to agree: the President and his party have blown it.