Tag: 2022 House elections

At risk from redistricting

With the exception of metropolitan Detroit, Michigan is a challenging landscape for any Democratic candidate.

Republicans have maintained control of the state’s Senate for the past 8 elections, and of its House for 6 of the past 8 elections.

Current Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a Democrat, but Michigan’s governorship has alternated between the two parties for the past 6 elections.

The 2020 Congressional redistricting significantly redrew boundaries for the adjacent 7th and 8th Districts, now pitting one House incumbent, Republican Tim Walberg, against another, Democrat Elissa Slotkin.  Walberg has served in the House since 2011, and Slotkin since 2019.

Slotkin, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University a master’s from Columbia, began her career serving in Iraq with the CIA. She later served on President George W. Bush’s national security staff and in the Department of Defense during the Barack Obama administration.

Her experience makes her an exceptional choice for her current House committee assignments:  Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Veterans’ Affairs.

Highlights of her voting record (Yeas) in the current Congress:

  • American Rescue Plan
  • For the People Act
  • American Dream and Promise Act
  • Equality Act
  • Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
  • Build Back Better Act
  • Women’s Health Protection Act
  • COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
  • Impeachment of Donald Trump

Learn more about Elissa Slotkin here:

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It’s not too early…

…to begin thinking about the November elections.

Primaries have already determined the face-offs in a significant number of contests, and only 177 days remain until Election Day.

Whether or not there’s Senate election in your state, you have a greater stake than ever in assuring that like-minded candidates in other states have the resources most needed to persevere in hotly contested races.

Although share of party identification is up for Republicans and down for Democrats, about 1 in 10 voters consistently declines to identify with either party, which is a potential wild card.

If control of the Senate hinges on 6 races, redistricting has reduced the number of swing seats (won by either Presidential candidate in 2020 by less than 5%) among the House’s 435 members to no more than 30 districts. It is within the realm of possibility that the G.O.P. could take both the House and the Senate.

Voter turnout for mid-terms is traditionally far lower than for Presidential elections, and the fall-off is typically greater for Democrats than Republicans. Biden’s low popularity ratings afford no White house relief.

In addition, a significant portion of Biden’s 2020 voters split their tickets, and are predisposed to continue voting G.O.P. for Congress.

Democrats’ fortunes are tied to the lightning rod issues of Abortion Rights and Gun Bans, but polls say that the economy and rising healthcare costs are voters’ dominant issues.

The pollsters face yet another election in which past performance may be no indicator of future outcomes.

In the comings weeks, C O B A L T will highlight the backgrounds/positions of selected candidates in key races, and provide candidate scorecards by issue-dedicated advocates...

Along with campaign donation site links to fund efforts for must-hold and must-flip seats

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