Republicans Gain House, Construction Industry Hopeful

For the past couple months, the buzz around the midterm election had grown to a deafening hum. Yesterday, the people had their day to speak out and make yet another change. Republicans took over control of the House of Representatives, but came up several seats short in the Senate. What does all this mean for the construction industry?

“It is our hope that this new Congress will bring fresh ideas to Washington and pave the way to create jobs, cut taxes and halt the big government assault on America’s small businesses so that construction and all other industries can get back to work,” said the Associated Builders and Contractors national chairman Jim Elmer, founder and president of James W. Elmer Construction Co., Spokane, Wash. “A cloud of uncertainty has hung over the construction industry as projects remain on hold while business owners brace for the next big government mandate or tax hike. Meanwhile, those contractors that are working are struggling to navigate their way through a maze of new burdensome regulations coupled with a hostile business environment. 

“The results of this election signal a strong rejection of the out-of-control spending, federal government expansion and mismanagement of the economy over the past two years,” Elmer concluded.

We’re certainly hoping for a change of pace, looking at high unemployment numbers and lack of construction spending from over the summer.