2014 Midterm Elections: All About Control

It’s that time again; time to start the close examination and close scrutiny of the upcoming election! Before we look at the big issue of this particular race (control of the Senate), we thought we’d take a moment to dust off everyone’s understanding so we’re on the same page.

What Are the Midterm Elections?

You surely know that a presidential term lasts four years. You may even know that a Congressional term in the House of Representatives lasts two years and a Senate term lasts six. However, you might not remember that elections for the Senate are “staggered,” with only a third  of those Senators up for re-election every two years. This means that every two years, “control” (Republican or Democrat) can shift, which is very important depending on the current control of each house of Congress as well as that of the President.

2014 Race

The House of Representatives has a Republican majority (233 to 200) that is unlikely to shift in this particular race. The Senate, on the other hand, has a Democratic majority (53 to 45–with 2 Independent members) that will make for a close race. Political experts say that in this year many states are “in play,” meaning that neither party has a historical stronghold.

Broken down further, 15 of the Republican’s 45 seats are up for re-election this year. Which leaves them six states to win over. Likely candidates are Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina. In addition, there are three races where Democratic senators are retiring – Montana, South Dakota, and West Virginia–where Republicans have a good chance of winning. The numbers are changing each week, but here is a glimpse at a few of the most important races.