As midterm elections approach this fall, Republicans are growing more and more confident in their party’s capability to sweep control from the Democrats. With a majority vote already secure in the House of Representatives, the GOP has a vested interest in the running for Senate. For the first time in twenty years, the United States has the potential of creating a “lame duck” president; which is defined as a Commander in Chief who doesn’t share the same political party as the majority of Congress.

Six seats are needed to swing the vote of the Senate towards the Conservatives, and three of those seats are already safely reserved for Red buttocks. The states of West Virginia, Montana, and South Dakota all have democratic senators retiring, and have exhibited a pattern of Republican-fandom in the past.

The real battle will take place in the states where the President lost, yet still have Democratic senators running for re-election. Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina all provide great competition for this race, and will ultimately decide whether or not President Obama’s second term will succeed.

In conjunction with strong pushes in the swing states listed above, Republicans are making an evident bid in Colorado and New Hampshire; both of which voted in favor of the President in 2012.

Democrats aren’t taking this possible usurpation lightly, to be sure. Incumbent candidates are fighting for their positions in a push to keep the White House furnished with Blue trim. Keeping control of the Senate entails significant political power when paired with the democratic Chief of Staff.

The importance of such a victory in the senate breaks up into two areas: First, a GOP majority would prevent President Obama from accomplishing any policy or change through democratic means; second, the success in swing states will lay a Red foundation for the 2016 Presidential elections.

Although the President will still have plenty of power of control through executive-orders, his range of mobility in law-making will shrink significantly if he isn’t backed by Congress. As we all know, political parties can be quite contrarian when any type of change is involved, and a shift of power will only exaggerate that.

Our government follows a pattern of flip-flopping between parties with each new presidency, as seen with every new move in power since George H.W. Bush. The United States is very indecisive with what works best for its progress, and if the past is to dictate the future, Republicans have a reasonable chance in 2016. Securing a majority now would facilitate a victory in the upcoming races.

Of course the other outcome of this November’s election is a maintained balance of power for the Democrats. If that is the case, President Obama will have far more ease in his second term, and the control of the Oval office will be less likely to change party-hands.

However you slice it, this year’s midterm elections are going to be nail-biters, and the test of democracy will fall into the American people’s hands.

Jacob Wilkes – Junior Copy Editor

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