The 2022 elections have come and gone. With the exception of a few congressional races -- and that's an editorial on its own -- the votes have been counted.

Despite predictions of a national red wave, actual gains were much more modest for the GOP. At the time of this editorial, Republicans have secured 218 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives -- the exact number needed to take control of the lower chamber of Congress. Six House seats remain undecided.

Meanwhile, Democrats will retain control of the Senate for two more years with the final margin to be determined after Georgia's runoff election on Dec. 6.

Missouri will have a new U.S. senator in January as Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) defeated Anheuser-Busch beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine (D). Schmitt will succeed retiring Sen. Roy Blunt.

Republican U.S. Rep. Jason Smith easily won his re-election bid to return to Congress. Smith, who is the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, is in line to be chairman of the powerful committee as the GOP takes control of the House.

Republican Scott Fitzpatrick, the current state treasurer, defeated Democrat Dr. Alan Green in the contest for state auditor.

Wins by Fitzpatrick and Schmitt will provide Gov. Mike Parson two more chances to appoint individuals to statewide positions, this time for treasurer and attorney general.

Several amendments were on the ballot, headlined by Amendment 3 which would legalize recreational use of marijuana. Missouri passed the amendment with 53% in support.

Locally, most of the key contested races were in the August primary. However, in the race for state representative of District 147, John Voss (R) defeated Andy Leighton (D).

Numerous other lawmakers at the state and local levels were unopposed and will return to office in January.

As we often do following an election, we'd like to thank all those who put their name forward for consideration. It's important to have good candidates for public office. Whether you won or lost your race, we appreciate your willingness to serve.

We often share this quote from Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" speech, and we do so again today in honor of all those whose name appeared on the ballot in 2022:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."