Source: Foreign Policy
by Julian E Zelizer
“Americans love to focus on presidential campaigns. The House of Representatives and Senate receive some attention every now and then, but our political love affair tends to center on the race for the White House. When congressional elections gain some attention, it usually happens during the midterms when political junkies don’t have much else to talk about. But this is a mistake. Congress matters. The outcome of congressional elections during a presidential campaign is crucial to shaping the first two years of an administration, the period when the opportunity for legislating is greatest. In the coming months, the fate of the Democratic Party agenda — regardless of who wins the presidency — will depend as much on how power is distributed on Capitol Hill as who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” (09/03/24)