US president Barack Obama suffers election setback

US president makes an election night phone call to Republican John Boehner

Barack Obama has suffered a setback in the US elections with it looking likely that his party has lost control of part of the US parliament, or Congress.

The Democrats have managed to keep power in the Senate but he'll find it harder to get laws passed.

It's bad but not as bad as it could have been.

Congress passes the laws the president wants to make, so the fact he still controls the Senate means he hasn't lost complete control for the last two years of his first term in office.

He'll need to do deals and compromise to get his way and life will be a lot harder as he tries to rebuild the US economy.

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Voting day

Two years ago and STATS bar in Atlanta, Georgia, was buzzing.

The giant TV screens up on the red brick walls were showing rolling coverage of the US election where Barack Obama made history and became America's first black president.

Ashley Mobbley (right) says people in the US can't blame Barack Obama

As the results came in, people of all races reached out to one another and embraced.

Some wept with joy, holding their head in their hands as they realised what had happened.

Fireworks went off across the city and the jet black sky was illuminated into a collage of bright colours.

Drivers honked their horns and screamed with excitement for everyone to hear.

But two years on and the bar isn't so vibrant as the same president who was elected in 2008 faces another election.

As punters sip their beers and tuck into their chilli nachos, they look up to watch a basketball game on the ESPN sports channel rather than worry about how President Obama's doing in the midterms.

Even though many were embroiled in conversation about things other than politics, some locals did take time out of their day to vote.

They told Newsbeat who they went for and why.

Mixed reaction

Ryan Bush is 28 years old and lives in Atlanta. He said: "I voted Republican all across the board.

"Somebody needs to put the breaks on the current agenda, its checks and balances.

Ryan Bush voted for Barack Obama's rivals, the Republicans in the midterms

"Nobody is looking to hire or expand right now and there's lots of uncertainty and they don't know what's going to happen when these new health care rules kick in. It's kinda tough."

Ashley Mobbley is 20 years old and works as a hostess at STATS.

She told Newsbeat: "I voted Democrat to help our Barack Obama.

"They can't blame him for what's happening now.

"He fell into this and it's all because of George Bush and the Republicans so he's just trying his hardest and I stand behind him 100%."

But Paul disagrees. He is 25 years old and isn't a fan of the president.

He voted Republican in the midterms.

He said: "I believe in the Republicans and their philosophies and smaller government and less federal spending.

"That's the way to go to help the economy.

"I still support Obama. He's my president but he wasn't my choice and I think we should do other things to turn the economy around."