A Republican tidal wave swept through Nov. 4. Voters took to the polls to determine the country’s leaders for the next two years. The results were clear: the American people felt it was time for a change.

This past election day, Republican incumbents retained all seats, and GOP challengers surprised many with wins in deeply blue states such as Maryland, New York, Massachusetts and President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate will have the largest Republican majority since World War II.

Election day in Mississippi, however, returned no changes. The three Republican district representatives and one Democratic representative retained their seats. Incumbent senior Sen. Thad Cochran won a seventh term to the U.S. Senate.

Tupelo High School students voiced both aspirations and anxieties regarding Capitol Hill’s next two years.

Outspoken Republican and THS senior Benton Barber believes the United States will soon witness a change for the better.

“As a Republican myself, I hope many things will get done if Obama doesn’t veto,” Barber said. “Hopefully, they’ll work across party lines.”

THS sophomore Achintya Prasad believes a political party holding a majority in both the House of Representatives and Senate will push reform forward.

“I believe with one party controlling the U.S. legislature, we can get more done as well as more laws passed,” Prasad explained.

Some THS student body members believe a Republican-run Congress is not in the best interest of the American people.

“I am not comfortable with a majority Republican Congress, because Republicans support the trickle down method, where the government gives tax cuts to the rich hoping that the wealthy population’s money will ‘trickle down,’” THS senior Donovan Nicholson said. “They also don’t believe in separation of church and state.”

Junior Caitlin Gardner also expressed her discontent regarding Republicans working with President Obama until 2016.

“I don’t feel comfortable with conservatives,” Gardner said. “I would rather have someone more open to change.”