The US midterm elections are looming — they’re on Nov. 8 — and they‘re going to be the most important and pivotal mid-terms in many years, with far-reaching consequences..There’s a lot at stake, including, among many other issues, the impeachment of President Joe Biden; the end of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 riot; a congressional investigation of Anthony Fauci’s handling of the pandemic; an investigation of Attorney-General Merrick Garland over the raid on former President Donald Trump's home in Mar-A-Lago, and; the southern border crisis..There are also implications for the 2024 presidential election..The US federal government is made up of three branches: legislative; executive and judicial..The legislative branch is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together are the United States Congress, which is the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many presidential appointments and substantial investigative powers..The executive branch is the office of the President of the United States, acting as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The vice-president is also part of the executive branch, and would assume the presidency should the need arise..The judicial branch consists of the US Supreme Court, whose members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate..The big prize on Nov. 8 is the legislative branch..There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives, which elects members every two years. The breakdown of seats going into the elections is 212 Republicans, 220 Democrats and three vacancies..There are 50 seats in the Senate, which is divided 50-50, with Vice-President Kamala Harris having the tie-breaking vote. Senators sit for six years, with approximately one-third of members elected every two years. This year there are 34 seats up for grabs, 20 Republicans and 14 Democrats..A Republican House of Representatives would be enough to derail most legislation the Biden administration wants to enact, as well as inducing new congressional probes of the current administration..Most US political pundits and polling surveys are predicting the Republicans will take the House..The Senate is a different matter..While the Republicans need to win only one seat to take control, the fact the party is contesting more seats that the Democrats makes it an uphill battle..Historically, the party in power loses House seats during the first mid-term elections under a new president, having lost in all but three elections since the Civil War..Midterms can serve as a referendum on the president and Joe Biden's popularity is underwater. .A Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 38% of Americans approve of his performance..Republican platforms focused on inflation and economic news, with the advent of a recession. They have also campaigned on rampant crime, asylum seekers at the US/Mexico border, pandemic school closures and Biden’s competency..Conversely, the Democrats had hoped the over-turning of Roe vs Wade and the televised Jan. 6 commission hearings would bolster their chance at the polls. They have also concentrated on a full-on assault on Republicans, saying the party is a threat to democracy, going to far as to call them fascists..Registered American voters are very much focused on the economy..A Pew Research Center survey taken during the first week of October found inflation is the dominant economic concern with 79% saying it will be very important to their voting decisions..The top three concerns are related to prices: for food and consumer goods (73% are very concerned), gasoline and energy (69%) and the cost of housing (60%). .As it stands now, polls show the two parties are in a neck and neck race, with the Republicans considered to have a good chance of regaining control of the House of Representative, with the Democrats retaining a slim majority in the Senate.
