On Tuesday, approximately 100 million American voters are likely to participate in the polls in the midterm elections for Congress, about half of whom voted in the early ballots, amid indications of a turnout among those registered in the Democratic Party lists, and complaints of a lack of enthusiasm among Republican supporters.
The midterm general elections mainly concern Congress. While general presidential elections are held every four years, midterm elections come in the middle of that period, that is, two years later. The term “general” indicates that elections are held in all states and territories at the same time. While primaries were held earlier in the year to determine the candidates, the midterm general elections are held on the second Tuesday of November, just as presidential elections are held every four years.
Congress represents the legislative authority in the government system, and consists of 435 members in the House of Representatives and 100 members in the Senate. Congress serves as a check and balance instrument (a system of checks and balances) over the executive branch headed by the president and vice president. So; Any change in the composition of Congress may lead to a radical shift in the balance of power and greatly affect the performance of the ruling administration, according to what was reported by the American Voting Foundation website.
Why are midterm elections important?
Midterm elections give voters the opportunity to decide which party will control both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
These elections are held in the middle of the presidential term, and they provide the voter with the opportunity to express his support or dissatisfaction with the current administration’s style of governance.
The midterm elections represent a confrontation between the country's two main parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. This election could be as tight as the presidential race; Given what is at stake; The winning party will gain control of the legislative branch, which has the power to enact laws, declare war, and much more.
The president's party seeks a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives during these elections; This paves the way for the President’s legislative agenda to be passed through Congress.
A quick look at the midterm election numbers
House of Representatives: 435 members, representatives/statewide, based on state population, two-year terms, all seats up for election every two years.
Senate: It includes 100 members. Representatives are two senators for each state. 6-year terms are distributed over time periods. A third of the seats (33 or 34 seats) are put up for election every two years.
Who are the candidates in these elections?
35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested for a 6-year term. Republicans currently control the Senate, but by a very small margin. With 35 Senate races across the country, the possibility of a change in the balance of power within the Senate is possible.
Each state has two senators; Because term terms are distributed over different periods of time, two senators from one state are not subject to election in the same year.
As for the House of Representatives, all 435 seats are up for election, with members holding their positions for a two-year term. The state's population determines the number of representatives (deputies) allocated to it.
“Distribution” process
Through a process known as “apportionment,” state maps are divided into electoral districts, and each district is allocated one seat in the House of Representatives. This year, each congressional district represents approximately 761,000 people.
In general elections, the ballot includes other contests as well. It should be noted that 36 out of 50 states, in addition to 3 regions, will witness elections to choose state governors (Gubernatorial elections). The position of “state governor” is the highest executive position in more than half of the American states.
Powers of the state governor
State governors have broad powers to establish new or modify existing policies and programs; This includes issuing executive orders, preparing executive budgets, submitting legislative proposals, and vetoing laws. Governors also often have the power to appoint the heads of government departments and agencies, as well as appoint judges to state courts.
In states that will witness elections to choose a governor, voters will also vote to choose state-level officials who work under the governor’s supervision. This may include positions such as Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor, as well as voting for state and county judges.
Republicans led by US President Donald Trump received an unexpected boost yesterday (Sunday) in a decisive race for a Senate seat in the state of Michigan, after a prominent Democrat supported Republican candidate Mike Rogers, two days before the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
US Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the Michigan Democratic Party's primary for Senate to Abdul Sayed in a highly competitive race, announced her public support for Rogers and appeared with him at a church in Detroit, threatening to exacerbate divisions in a state that is crucial to Democrats' hopes of regaining control of the US Senate.
“There is no place for me in Abdul’s campaign,” Stevens said in a video posted on social media.
Hours later, during a campaign rally in Iowa, Trump called on Stevens to join the Republican Party. He told reporters before that that he would continue with her to thank her for the support, which he described as a “smart move because the master will destroy our country,” according to what Reuters reported.
Voting will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) on 35 seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans have a narrow majority in both chambers. Opinion polls show that Democrats are likely to win a majority in the House of Representatives, and are fighting a close battle to control the Senate, with the result likely to be decided by a handful of states, including Michigan and Alaska.
If Democrats control the House of Representatives or the Senate, they will be able to obstruct Trump's legislative agenda during the last two years of his term, and open investigations into an administration that has so far only dealt with largely lenient Republican majorities. The White House is preparing to implement parts of Trump's agenda without help from Congress.
Split in Michigan
In Michigan, Stevens' endorsement of Rogers came on a day she was supposed to appear with El-Sayed in a show of party unity. But the planned event collapsed after Stevens called on Al-Sayed to denounce an announcement by an outside committee, which the representative said held Israel responsible for rising food prices in the United States.
“We cannot stand with hatred,” Stevens told reporters yesterday (Sunday), standing next to Rogers after joining him at a church service in Detroit.
El-Sayed's campaign recently asked Stevens to avoid attending his events until Election Day so as not to "distract attention from the campaign's central issues," a person familiar with the matter said.
Republicans sought to exploit Stevens' move. “This is the courage in American politics today,” Rogers said. “When you see a party, or at least a segment of it, deviate towards the extreme hatred they direct toward a group of people, it becomes dangerous.”
Later yesterday (Sunday), during the campaign rally in Iowa, Trump repeated incorrect claims that Mr. is a “jihadist,” attacks that fall within a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric by Trump and other Republicans targeting Americans of Arab descent and Muslims.
Al-Sayed was subjected to a campaign of racist and Islamophobic attacks. He rejected these accusations and described questions about his loyalty to the United States as “shameful.” He declined to comment directly on Stevens' endorsement yesterday (Sunday), saying he was focusing on other issues.
The move appeared to have little effect on some early voters in Michigan, where Mr. Rogers leads by about four points, according to Real Clear Polling estimates.
“Hallie Stevens is a traitor,” Pamela Johnson (72 years old) said after casting her vote for Mr. in Warren, a suburb of Detroit.
David Kollar, a 32-year-old elementary school teacher, said Stevens' endorsement "seemed like a last-minute distraction." He added that he voted for El-Sayed because of his support for universal, government-funded health care.
CNN and The Hill reported that a number of Stevens' staff in Congress resigned over the endorsement.
Justin German, Stevens's longtime chief of staff, could not yet be reached to verify the reports, which included a statement in which he said: "As of this morning, many members of our team have resigned, including myself." The statement described German as “shocked and heartbroken” by Stevens’ endorsement.
Intervention falters in Alaska
The Trump administration's attempt to intervene in the Alaska Senate race also faltered when a federal judge rejected a lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice aimed at blocking the certification of the results if incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan narrowly.
The Justice Department said voters may be confused by the presence of a rival candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. is on the same ballot.
This issue caused an uproar in the election campaign during the past few days after the New York Times reported that the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola was involved in attracting Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. to join the election race with the aim of spoiling the election.
The senator said he would accept Tuesday's election results even as the Trump administration pushes for a criminal investigation into the issue. But Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has indicated he may not certify Beltola's win, and Sullivan, the current senator, declined to say whether he would support efforts to reject certification.
Sullivan joined his party colleagues in accusing the other Sullivan of trying to confuse voters because of the similarity of the two names.
The senator told CNN: “They put the fake candidate on the ballot... I am sure I will lose a lot of votes because of this trick.” "What I tell the people of Alaska: Don't let them get away with these tricks."
Peltola denied any involvement, and Sullivan Jr. also denied coordinating with the Peltola campaign.
