Across the country, as the midterms approach, Congressional races are intensifying. Both parties are fighting for control of Congress, and as of now, either party could take control of the House of Representatives, the Senate, or both. Candidates from both sides of the aisle are running hyperbolizing self-promoting ads and vicious attack ads on opponents. This practice can blur people’s perceptions of candidates, and of the election as a whole, which only makes it more important to step back and look at the midterm election on a national scale, while still realizing that many different races in many different states can have a profound impact on the composition of the government.
Issues including inflation, immigration, energy prices, and abortion will be key issues in the midterm elections. The Republican candidates are crusading on inflation, immigration, and high energy prices, while Democrat candidates are crusading on abortion. Current inflation is an issue affecting many as inflation rates are reaching 40-year highs at 8.3%. Illegal immigration is also at record highs, which is concerning to many Americans. Energy prices have been on the rise because of Biden’s decision to issue fewer drilling permits and his sanctions on Russian oil. These issues have all been a boost for Republicans, but many Democrats believe that abortion will ultimately be the deciding issue. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states have been given the option to make their own laws regarding abortion, allowing some states to ban it completely. Democrats believe that using this issue will give them an edge against Republicans, who support the bans. Overall, a myriad of issues will be on the ballot this November, and each one can decide a single race, or even who has the majority in Congress.
While all elections across the country are important, there are a few that may decide which party controls each house of Congress. The Senate elections in Pennsylvania and Georgia are particularly important, as they are in swing states and have very close polling, meaning that these elections will decide which party controls the Senate.
In Pennsylvania, a swing state, Dr. Mehmet Oz (R) is running against John Fetterman (D). FiveThirtyEight, an online compendium of polling data, has Fetterman ahead by 6.0%, but the gap is closing, which means that there is still a chance that Oz could win.
In Georgia, another swing state, Herschel Walker (R) is running against the incumbent, Raphael Warnock (D) for the Senate seat. The race is very close, as FiveThirtyEight put Walker at 43.9% and Warnock at 47.7%, putting Warnock ahead by only 3.7%, meaning that the race could go either way. Both candidates have a lot of baggage with them, as recently, reports have surfaced of both of them having done some questionable things. In March 2020, during a domestic dispute, Warnock ran over his ex-wife’s foot with his car. Walker isn’t without baggage, as in 2011, he allegedly paid for an abortion for a former girlfriend of his and encouraged her to receive an additional one.
Overall, the upcoming midterms will have a significant impact on the direction of the country.