Neck and Neck- GOP vs. Democrats

Midterms- a younger brother to the U.S presidential election that occurs every four years. Contrary to popular belief, midterm elections have just as big of an impact on the country. This election decides who holds office in the two chambers of Congress. 

In the United States House of Representatives, members are given two-year terms, when this time passes, all 435 seats are up for reelection. On the other hand, in the Senate, senators are elected to serve a staggered term of six years. A third of the 100 seats are up for grabs in the midterm season.

The importance of midterm elections is boiled down to one reason- whoever controls the senate essentially controls the agenda of the United States. 

Republicans were rumored to have a “Red Wave” over America this midterm election. Anger over inflation alongside disapproval ratings for Democratic office holders played a key role in the rumor. This red “tsunami” that was predicted fell short as the fight for control in the Senate was neck and neck.

Republicans are extremely close to winning the House of Representatives with 217 seats, and the Democrats fall shortly behind with only 209 seats. With only one seat for the Republicans to gain for a victory, Democrats have a diminutive chance to win a majority. Currently, there are 11 uncalled House races, so for Democrats to win, they would have to gain all 11 seats. The uncalled races are in California (6), Alaska (1), Maine (1), Oregon (1), and our very own Colorado (1).

On the other hand, the race for the majority in the Senate has been one that has kept Americans on the edge of their seat. As of November 15, 2022 Democrats will keep control of the Senate, with 50 seats. Whereas, the GOP is holding 49 seats. 

This year, Georgia has taken a shift from being a commonly recognized “red” state, and has altered to being a more moderate state. Their senate race was close as Herschel Walker, member of the GOP, received 48.5% of votes whereas his opponent Raphael Warnock received 49.4% of votes. Georgia law states that the votes cannot be that close in number, so Georgia will be holding a runoff election on December 6th to compete for the 2.1% of votes that are still up for grabs.

Although Democrats have won the Senate, this runoff election is still very important. If the Democratic party is able to secure Warnock, they will have a cushion in the 2024 cycle. Additionally, it will improve their chances of holding a majority in the Senate in years to come.