On November 8th, 2022 the United States closed its ballots, concluding the U.S. Midterm Elections. The elections determine the following: Senate, House of Representatives, and local positions. Midterms are important for many reasons, but the bigger picture shows that the winning political party controls either the House or Senate, and forecasts how the 2024 Presidential election may turnout. 

Before looking at possible Presidential races, it’s important to understand all angles of Midterms. Luke Murtaugh, President of the Young Conservatives Club, says, “Republicans widely underperformed expectations due to them nominating poor candidates– candidates that were too Trump adjacent.” Murtaugh reports that the candidates failed to understand that Trump’s popularity has significantly declined, which he believes negatively affected their chances. “That’s why more moderate candidates should be pushed forward.” Murtaugh also adds what he’s hoping to see in the future, as a result of the election, “Less spending packages, and more Anti-China legislation, along with a stronger stance against Russia.”

On the other hand, Ava Lynch, President of the Young Progressives Club, gives her take on Midterms. “This makes me hopeful that there will be better Republican and Democrat candidates that aren’t as radical, so that our country can come to the middle again.”  Lynch states her thoughts on the outcome, “I am really happy Jennifer Wexton was elected. I feel that Hung Cao didn’t represent how Virginians may actually think.” Lynch also adds how she believes the changes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate will stop the Don’t Say Gay Bill from passing, which she notes would be a win for the Democratic Party.

To provide a general overview, Mrs. Shea, a Dual Enrollment Government teacher at Woodgrove, gives her take on the election results. “I think the midterm elections show us how divided we are as a country because the results were very close. I think it’s a prediction that the 2024 election will be close as well.” 

While the 2024 Presidential race is yet to be decided, Midterms are a tool that can be used to predict and learn from successful and unsuccessful campaigns. This allows both the general public and the candidates to have an understanding of what could come, but in the end, only time will tell if these results align with the future election.