With endorsements coming out from President Obama for down ballot candidates, it is bringing up the question of why does this not happen during midterm elections? According to the United States Election Project the midterm elections have a substantial decrease in voter turnout. Could the President be starting a trend that will continue to encourage and build voter turnout throughout our midterm elections in 2018? If Hillary Clinton is passed the baton and publicly endorses future candidates, next midterm elections could be even more paramount than the election we’re seeing now.
In a White House press gaggle the other day Press Secretary Josh Earnest explains what has led President Obama to not only endorse but also campaign for down ballot candidates, “The President’s view is that the stakes in the election are high — not just in terms of determining who will occupy the Oval Office for next few years, but how much success President Obama’s successor will have in advancing their agenda through the Congress. So that would account for the President’s passion for these issues.
And, look, his own experience bears out how just important this is. In the President’s first two years in office, the President was able to work effectively with a Democratic majority in the House and Senate to make progress on a whole range of issues that he had identified as high priorities. Since Republicans took control of the House and were joined by a Republican majority in the Senate, we’ve essentially seen the legislative process all but grind to a halt. And that is a function of Republican majorities that aren’t interested in governing and don’t appear to have much interest in trying to advance a conservative agenda. Rather, they seem focused on obstruction. And that kind of dysfunction has not served the American people well. And I think it’s left the American electorate with a rather dim view of the current Republican representation in Congress.”
Politico reports President Obama could endorse roughly 150 candidates. With activism and grassroots efforts on the rise both inside and outside the Democratic Party, we now show the potential to not only lead the House and Senate but also have the tools in place to keep it up for many terms to come. And lets not forget, the current Democratic Platform cannot be accomplished without holding and maintaining these seats. An effective Congress rather than one focused on obstruction is needed now more than ever. The American people have no more patience for this halt. The issues surrounding our economy, health, education, and safety of our planet must be addressed before it is too late. I, for one, am excited to see these endorsements happening and am hopeful that this will be a continued practice for the future of our elections. Voter turnout can only grow when the public becomes more informed on the necessity of all elections.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.