Midterm Elections
- from Mackenzie Rolf
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- South Salem High School
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- 1304 views
The Midterm Elections on Nov. 6 of 2018 are crucial for both Democrats and Republicans, each fighting to secure the number of seats necessary to reach the majority holding in their respective seats to control the House of Representatives and Senate. 33 Senate seats and all 435 house seats are up for reelection.
According to Ballotpedia, the party of the newly elected president has lost an average of 23 seats in the house since 1934. However, given Trump’s recent history of defying trends related to elections- from predicted outcomes to state voting tends, this may not apply.
President Trump is already rallying support for his party for the midterms, tweeting: “The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don’t get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!” on March 30.
In both the 2010 and 2014 midterm elections, former President Obama was at a 42 and 45 percent approval rate during the week of the election. Trump’s current approval rate is 41 percent, but approval rates do change, and as the mid term elections are still far away, it is unclear whether Mr. Trump’s approval rates will dissuade voters from electing members of his party.
Newly elected Senators will serve a six year term, and House seats will serve for two years.
Oregon Supreme Court Justice Brewer must also stand for election in 2018 to keep his seat.