'Toxic' Trump hits back: Ex-President claims he got 'more votes in Florida in 2020 than Ron DeSantis did last night' and brushes off Republican criticism by saying 'from a personal standpoint, the midterm election was a very big victory'

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Donald Trump is insistent that he triumphed in the midterms, despite the promised red wave failing to materialize and even though many of his chosen candidates lost, claiming instead that he secured a personal 'big victory'. 

In a Truth social post on Wednesday afternoon, Trump ignored the embarrassing defeats of Don Bolduc and Mehmet Oz and dismissed the growing disdain for him in the GOP, instead declaring the night a 'very big victory'. 

'While in certain ways yesterday’s election was somewhat disappointing, from my personal standpoint it was a very big victory - 219 WINS and 16 Losses in the General - Who has ever done better than that?' 

He also took a stab at his GOP rival Ron DeSantis, saying he cumulatively amassed more votes in the Sunshine State than DeSantis did when he ran in 2020. 

'Now that the Election in Florida is over, and everything went quite well, shouldn’t it be said that in 2020, I got 1.1 Million more votes in Florida than Ron D got this year, 5.7 Million to 4.6 Million? Just asking.' 

DeSantis defeated his opponent by 1.5million votes - 19 percent - whereas Trump beat Biden by 300,000 - three percent. 

DeSantis also flipped the key county of Miami Dade, a Democrat stronghold which Trump lost to Biden in 2020, when four million more voters turned out in Florida to decide who would become President than they did for yesterday's Gubernatorial race. 

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 In a Truth social post on Wednesday afternoon, Trump ignored the embarrassing defeats of Don Bolduc and Mehmet Oz and dismissed the growing disdain for him in the GOP. He also took a stab at Ron DeSantis - who won by nearly 20 percent last night - and said he received more votes in the 2020 Presidential election 

Trump, pictured yesterday at Mar-a-Lago, endorsed 330 people in the midterms but many of the major stage players were defeated 

The man of the moment: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis swept to victory, flipping the Democrat stronghold of Miami Dade county. Now, he is being heralded as the future of the GOP and is emerging as a favorite for a 2024 run 

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Many of Trump's wins were predicted, unlike races in swing states which were widely anticipated to be Republican landslides but have instead turned into close calls, run-offs of all-out bloodbaths. 

While results in key swing states like Arizona and Georgia are still pending, many are calling Trump the biggest loser of the night with Republicans swearing him off, and throwing their weight behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for a 2024 run.  

For Trump, the midterms were supposed to be an amuse-bouche before another White House campaign. 

But some of his most prolific candidates crashed and burned overnight. 

Oz, a TV star turned politician, suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats of the night, losing to John Fetterman in Pennsylvania. 

According to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman, who recently released a scathing biography about Trump, the former president is particularly 'furious' that Oz lost -  and is 'blaming everyone... including his wife' for advising him to support him in April. 

'Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz -- including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him,' she tweeted.

She continued: 'There are people pushing Trump to reschedule his announcement next week, and several Rs have texted asking whether he will, but it’s risky and would be acknowledging he’s wounded by yesterday, something that some of his advisers insist is not the case.' 

CNN's Jim Acosta cites an unnamed adviser who said the president is 'livid' and 'screaming at everybody' today after last night's underwhelming Republican results. 

Taylor Budowich, Trump's spokesperson, told DailyMail.com such reports were 'completely fake' this morning. 

'Out of the races that have been called, President Trump has racked up over 215 wins for his endorsements—a truly unprecedented accomplishment and something only possible because of President Trump's ability to pick and elect winners. 

'McConnell, on the other hand, whose job is to support Senate candidates, abandoned winnable races in New Hampshire and Arizona. 

'As President Trump looks to the future, he will continue to champion his America First agenda that won overwhelmingly at the ballot box last night,' he said. 

While Trump is adamant his night was a success because so many of the candidates he endorsed won, there are rumblings in the GOP that it's time to ditch him. 

Those criticisms are hinged on the races in which Trump-backed candidates were expected to have more success, like Oz in Pennsylvania. 

According to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman, who recently released a scathing biography about Trump, the former president is particularly 'furious' that Oz lost - and is 'blaming his wife' for advising him to support him. They are shown yesterday leaving a polling station in Palm Beach 

Piers Morgan, Melania Trump, Donald Trump, former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer and Dr. Oz are shown in 2013 at a book party. Melania is said to have encouraged her husband to support Oz in the 2022 midterm elections 

Trump, ignoring the races where his favorites lost, said it had been a 'GREAT EVENING', praising the 'amazing job' of some 'fantastic candidates' 

Donald Trump, pictured last night at a Mar-a-Lago election event, is being widely blamed for the Republicans' underwhelming performance in yesterday's midterms

Oz lost by 3 points - (three more than the 0.1 exit poll predictions. In New Hampshire, Republican candidate Don Bolduc lost to Democrat Maggie Hassan by nearly ten points. 

Fox News White House Correspondent was among journalists citing Republican sources on Wednesday who said it was time for Trump to go. 

'GOP source tells me 'if it wasn't clear before it should be now. We have a Trump problem,' she tweeted. 

One of Trump's own advisers was cited by CNN saying Trump's candidates were 'bad'. 

'They were all bad candidates. Candidates matter,' they said. 

Other Republicans say it's time to put Trump behind them.  

'This is a pivot point for the Republican party. Donald Trump is no doubt in the rearview mirror. It is time to move on with the party,' Geoff Duncan, the Republican Lt. Governor of Georgia, told CNN. 

Ignoring the races where his favorites lost, he told followers on Truth Social that it had been a 'GREAT EVENING'.

In an interview yesterday, he said he deserved credit if Republicans won - but shouldn't be blamed in the scenario of a loss. 

Five of his chosen candidates - Bo Hines (North Carolina's 13th District), Sandy Smith (North Carolina's 1st District), Mehmet Oz (Pennsylvania State Senate) and Tim Michels (Wisconsin Gubernatorial Race) and Lee Zeldin (New York Gubernatorial race) - all lost. 

Early analysis also shows that in counties with Trump-backed candidates, the Republican vote share increased by just 1.3 percent compared with 6.9 percent in counties where he wasn't involved in the race. 

'If they win I should get all the credit. And if they lose, I should not be blamed at all. But it will probably be just the opposite. When they win, I think they're going to do very well, I'll probably be getting very little credit, and if they do badly, they will blame everything on me.

'I'm prepared for everything. We'll defend ourselves.' 

He is however said to be privately 'livid' that his candidates lost. 

CNN's Jim Acosta cites an unnamed adviser who said he is 'screaming at everybody' today. 

He also took credit for Ron DeSantis 2018 win, saying he 'was not going to be a factor' in the race before his endorsement. 

'He was not going to be able to even be a factor in the race. And as soon within moments, the race was over. 

'I got him the nomination. He didn’t get it. I got it, because the minute I made that endorsement, he got it.' 

Brutal post-mortem: Lt. Governor of Georgia, Geoff Duncan (L) said Trump was 'in the rearview mirror' while former Gov. of New Jersey, Chris Christie, said he is to blame for 'poor candidate quality' 

'Then he ran and he wasn’t supposed to be able to win. I did two rallies, we had 52,000 people each one and he won. I thought that he could have been more gracious. But that’s up to him.' 

In recent weeks and months, a rivalry has formed between the pair, with each man widely expected to launch a 2024 Presidential campaign. 

At a rally this weekend, Trump referred to the Florida Governor as 'Ron De-Sanctimonious'. 

Yesterday, Trump said it would be a 'big mistake' if DeSantis ran in 2024. 

Duncan, the Lt. Gov of Georgia, said Republicans would have had better success with a different pool of candidates.  

'It turns out Mitch McConnell knew what he was talking about with candidate quality,' he said, referring to McConnell's prediction in August that poor quality would impact the result. 

'If they would have just woke up 12 months ago, and stopped taking his lead and took the lead of what real Republican, real conservative policies meant and mattered, we'd be in a different place.

'I wouldn't want to be the one delivering him the news last night or this morning as to what the results of the candidates they supported and poured money into were, it's time to turn the page.

'I'm ready to move on. Who knows. Donald Trump is moving from a movement to a distraction for the Republican Party now.

TRUMP-BACKED... AND DEFEATED: Dr. Mehmet Oz lost to John Fetterman in the Pennsylvania Senate race despite Fetterman's lacking campaign. Tim Michels lost in the Wisconsin Governor's race and Bo Hines was defeated in North Carolina

TRUMP-BACKED... AND ELECTED: JD Vance, the bestselling author of 'Hillbilly Elegy,' defeated 10-term congressman Tim Ryan in Ohio. Ted Budd won in North Carolina (right) 

Early analysis also shows that in counties with Trump-backed candidates, the Republican vote share increased by just 1.3 percent compared with 6.9 percent in counties where he wasn't involved in the race

As of 6.30am ET, eight Trump backed candidates had lost including one senate race, four house candidates and three governors

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, during an appearance on Good Morning America, said Trump's instincts were 'about himself' and not 'about the party'. 

'The big problem is that everywhere, the atmosphere and nationally, where Republicans lost, they lost because we had inferior candidates. 

'Mitch McConnell previewed this. 

'Almost every one of these Trump-backed candidates lost. 

'It shows his political instincts are not about the party, they are not about the country, they are about him.' 

Doug Heye, former spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, told The Independent that Trump was to blame for poor candidate quality across the board, but said issues like the overturning of Roe v. Wade may have contributed to a general straying from the Republican party. 

Erick Erickson, a longtime GOP commentator, told the Washington Post: 'Candidate quality matters. 

'They weren't good candidates. They had more allegiance to him than anything else.

'The GOP might still win both [chambers] but this is not the night they expected.' 

His constant teasing of whether he will or won't run in 2024 may have put off swing voters, as the midterms effectively turned into a referendum on his politics. 

Other Trump backed stars such as JD Vance secured victory and more results are incoming, including the nail  biter in Georgia between MAGA supporter Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock.

As of 6.30am ET, of the five Trump backed Governor candidates who have had results declared, three had lost, with four more results to come.

The former president lost four of the six House candidates he endorsed, and one out of the six senators. 

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis holds his son Mason as he celebrates winning reelection, at an election night party in Tampa, Fla, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022

Republican gubernatorial candidate for Florida Ron DeSantis walks onstage during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on November 8, 2022

Bill Palatucci, a member of the Republican National Committee from New Jersey, said: 'Trump candidates were a drag on the party and the messaging of all our candidates.

The New York Post on Wednesday heralded Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the future of the GOP 

'We were constantly having to distance ourselves from their support of the former president.' 

Trump's picks lost high-stakes contests in Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire. 

After summoning reporters and his most loyal supporters to a watch party at his Mar-a-Lago club, he ended the night without a triumphant speech. 

Nonetheless, he took to his social media platform to insist he'd had 'A GREAT EVENING.' 

In the biggest shock of the night, Dr Oz, who had been endorsed by Trump during the primary, lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the Pennsylvania Senate race.

Fetterman had faced questions about his fitness for office after suffering a stroke just days before the state's primary, but nonetheless bested TV's Dr Oz in a major rebuke to Trump. 

Former NFL star Herschel Walker, who was heavily backed by Trump, is in a too-close-to-call race in Georgia and could face a run-off. 

Democrats also held a crucial Senate seat in New Hampshire, where incumbent Maggie Hassan defeated Republican Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who promoted Trump's lies about the 2020 election.

Ron DeSantis raced to a comfortable win over Charlie Crist - the biggest win since the Reconstruction era of the late 1800s

Pro-Trump House candidates J.R. Majewski in Ohio, Karoline Leavitt in New Hampshire and Yesli Vega in Virginia were also rejected by voters. 

Fetterman BEATS Dr. Oz in crucial Pennsylvania Senate race 

Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman beat Dr. Oz in the must-win Pennsylvania Senate race in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

''I never expected that we would turn these red counties blue, but we did what we needed to do,' he continued. 'And that's why tonight I'll be the next U.S. senator from Pennsylvania,' Fetterman added.

A short time later, the White House said President Joe Biden texted Fetterman congratulations.

Fetterman had faced questions about his fitness for office after suffering a stroke just days before the state's primary, but he nonetheless bested Republican Dr Mehmet Oz in a major rebuke to Trump, whose endorsement helped Oz win his competitive primary.

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It wasn't all gloom for Trump, as he helped lift Republican Senate candidates to victory in Ohio and North Carolina. 

JD Vance, the bestselling author of 'Hillbilly Elegy,' defeated 10-term congressman Tim Ryan, while Rep. Ted Budd beat Cheri Beasley, the former chief justice of the state Supreme Court. 

While campaigning for Vance on Monday, Trump teased an announcement for his presidential run.

'We want nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow. You understand that,' Trump said at a rally. 

'I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, November 15,' he added, saying the announcement would come at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. 

Longtime GOP strategist Douglas Heye told DailyMail.com Trump was a distraction for many voters.

He said: 'When someone says they don't want to detract, get ready for some detracting.

'Trump is all about Trump and after months of being on the sidelines - good months for Republicans - Trump had to make it all about him. Again.' 

Another Republican strategist said that the results are already 'baked into the cake' and the former president throwing his name into the mix will have little effect. 

'I think the cake is baked on the 2022 election and the specter of a Trump candidacy probably has little to no effect at the outcome. Had he announced his candidacy in advance of the election it might have been a different story,' said strategist Ken Spain.

Strategist Jim Dornan told DailyMail.com Trump announcing on Monday could have been a 'real problem' for Republicans. 

'Thank goodness he held off from announcing anything last night. 

'That could have been a real problem in many of these close races,' he said. 

'Regarding next week, I think an announcement this quickly after the midterms may indicate some concern on his part that he’s losing his grip on the party and frankly, he’d be probably right about that.' 

Georgia likely heading for a December runoff 

Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock holds less than a one point lead over Republican ex-NFL star Herschel Walker in the key Senate race that will likely head to a runoff election in December that could decide which party takes the majority.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Warnock was up by about 31,000 votes, leading Walker 49.4 to 48.6, on a night that Democrats across the country defied the odds and a GOP red wave failed to materialize. 

Warnock had 1,922,548 votes to Walker's 1,891,284.

If neither candidate breaches the 50 percent threshold, the race heads to a December 6 runoff, per Georgia's election law. 

A third-party Libertarian will likely prevent either candidate from cinching a majority.

The path is reminiscent of 2020 for Warnock, when he was forced into a runoff with then-incumbent GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler and came out on top. 

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'I don't think however it changes the landscape significantly as far as who gets into the primary or not,' Dornan added. 

He noted that potential contenders like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited out of office in 2027, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2026. 

'So would [DeSantis] forgo 2024 and look to 2028 when he would have been out of office for two years? Would Youngkin wait for 3? 

Trump’s numbers aren’t as strong as they were, so I think the fear factor among other would be candidates is dissipating a bit,' Dornan said. 

In the midterms, many Republicans who backed his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election lost key races to oversee elections in some competitive states.

Doug Mastriano, the GOP nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, lost to Democrat Josh Shapiro on election night. 

Mastraiano was seen outside the Capitol on the day of the January 6 insurrection and regularly communicated with Trump as the then-president tried to reverse his loss to Joe Biden.

The state's governor appoints the secretary of state, who is the top voting official.

In Minnesota, Republican Kim Crockett, who echoed some of Trump's lies about voting, lost her bid for secretary of state, which in most states is the position that oversees state elections. 

In Michigan, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson declared victory over Kristina Karamo, a community college instructor who became one of the most prominent election conspiracists in the country. 

And in New Mexico, Republican Audrey Trujillo, who cheered on Trump's effort to reverse the voters' will in 2020, lost to Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.

Races in Arizona and Nevada, major swing states where election conspiracists were competing for secretary of state positions, remained too early to call. 

But many democracy advocates and Democrats were cheered by the initial tallies in political battlegrounds.

'Ultimately, some voters likely chose candidates in part because they were committed to telling the truth and protecting election integrity,' said Ben LaBolt, a Democratic strategist.

Still, in Republican-leaning states, some election conspiracists did win secretary of state offices.

All told, half of the 22 Republicans vying to be secretaries of states - and overseeing elections in most states - have repeated Trump's election lies. Seven endorsed his attempts to overturn the will of the people and remain in power.

Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul clings on to BEAT Republican Lee Zeldin in New York 

New York Democratic governor Kathy Hochul managed to turn back a challenge from Republican Lee Zeldin to cling to the governor's mansion in what had become a competitive race in a Blue-leaning state.

The race tightened in the polls in recent weeks as Zeldin, a U.S. Republican House representative, hammered Hochul on crime and other issues while getting a Donald Trump endorsement and fundraising support from the former president.

NBC called the race for Hochul, and she tweeted she was 'deeply honored' to have been elected.  She was leading 55-45 with nearly two thirds of the vote in Tuesday night.

Zeldin refused to concede, telling supporters his position would improve as more votes come in from Long Island. 

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In a further blow to Trump's ambitions, potential Republican presidential nominee Ron DeSantis won decisively over Charlie Crist.

Voting finished at 7pm and such was the margin of victory - at least 17 points - that the Associated Press called the race in a little more than an hour.

By the early hours of Wednesday morning he had a 19.4-point lead with 99 percent of the votes counted, wrapping up a landslide. 

Having secured a second term, 44-year-old DeSantis has cemented his position as a star of the Republican Party and a possible 2024 candidate.

In his victory speech, he described the battles he fought in first term as COVID-19 shut down the country and culture wars erupted. 

Those were the arguments that powered him on to the national stage. And the scale and nature of his win - racking up votes in the former Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade - will excite supporters with one eye on the White House.

The 44-year-old frequently tops polls of who Republicans would like to run for the White House in 2024 - if former President Donald Trump sits it out. 

For his part, Trump sees the danger and has been firing shots across the governor's bows.

At a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, Trump unveiled a new nickname for him: 'Ron DeSanctimonious.' 

And on Monday he issued a veiled threat.

'I don't know that he's running. I think if he runs he could hurt himself very badly, I really believe he could hurt himself badly,' said Trump.

He went on hint he was ready to go on the attack with personal details. 

'But if he did run I could tell you things bout him that won't be very flattering. I know more about him other than perhaps his wife - who's really running about his campaign. 

The Senate is still on a knife-edge, with all eyes on the results in Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin to determine who will take the majority. 

Republicans are still favored to retake the House, but it will likely be by a slim margin. 

In Alaska, with three candidates on the ballot, two Republicans – Kelly Tshibaka and Sen. Lisa Murkowski – were dueling for the most votes. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declared in a speech that Republicans would take the House, but networks had yet to call control of the chamber early Wednesday.