« America at a Crossroads: Politics, Power and Global Challenges » a five-part conference series exploring the key political, institutional, and geopolitical challenges facing the United States today.
Led by Boyd K. Rutherford, the series offers a distinctive opportunity to examine contemporary American politics through the perspective of a political practitioner with first-hand experience at both the federal and state levels. Drawing on his experience in public office and political life, Boyd K. Rutherford will provide an informed perspective on the forces currently reshaping American politics and America’s role in the world.
This session focuses on the political significance of the U.S. midterm elections and their potential consequences for the balance of power in Washington. The discussion will begin by examining the historical tendency for the president’s party to lose seats in Congress during midterm elections. The structural and political factors behind this recurring phenomenon will be considered, alongside the role of presidential approval ratings in shaping congressional contests.
Particular attention will be given to several key Senate races whose outcomes could determine control of the United States Senate. The importance of individual contests will be considered within the broader electoral map and the highly competitive political environment surrounding the Trump presidency.
The session will then explore the institutional and political consequences of a change in congressional control. What would a Democratic majority in either the House of Representatives or the Senate mean for the Trump administration? How might divided government affect legislation, executive action, oversight, budgetary policy, and the administration’s broader political agenda? The discussion will therefore provide an opportunity to examine the interaction between the presidency and Congress and the importance of institutional checks and balances in the American political system.