Madison Kwiecinski – Editor-in-Chief 

Mvk5945@psu.edu

The 2022 midterm elections took place on Nov. 8 and so far we are yet to confirm what party will control the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats have retained their narrow majority over the Senate, with highly contested seats in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona being claimed by the party. 

Prior to this election, it was expected that a “red wave” would sweep the country, allowing the GOP to take control of the House with huge margins, and possibly even the Senate. In the wake of election day, it is clear this was not the case. 

The U.S. Senate currently sits with 48 seats belonging to each party, according to AP News. However, two seats are claimed by Independents who will typically vote with the Democratic party. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine make up the two liberal Independents. 

Including the two independents in the left’s total, the Democratic party currently holds 50 seats, enough to retain their majority with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie breaking vote. The GOP currently sits at 49 seats. 

However, the Senate race is not yet fully complete. In Georgia, if either candidate fails to receive 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election must be scheduled and a revote is held with only the two highest candidates on the ballot. A Georgia runoff as the final election to be called in an eerie repeat of the 2020 election cycle, in which Georgia decided the balance of the Senate. 

For a while, it appeared Georgia would once again determine the Senate balance, but after Democratic victories in Nevada and Arizona this election will not change the balance of control. The Runoff election is scheduled for Dec 6., an accelerated time frame when compared to previous run off elections. Democrat Raphael Warnock will face off against Republican candidate Herschel Walker early next month. 

Republicans have also called to alter the timeline for appointment to leadership positions in the Senate, stating they cannot elect leaders without fully knowing who will be in their party and in the next Congress. 

“We’ve from Thanksgiving weekend to Tuesday, Dec. 6, to get these votes out, and there will be a lot of hard work over the holiday and the runup to the holiday season to make sure we get this vote out,” said U.S. Representative Hank Johnson. “I think voters are aware the our future is still in peril, and we can make a difference in Georgia for the sake of the nation. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.” 

Georgia has changed the law in runoff elections to shorten the period to only four weeks until the election, with Thanksgiving breaking the timeframe in half. There will be approximately only five days of early in-person voting offered, and the accelerated timeline will make receiving a mail-in ballot difficult. 

“Republicans do better in getting their voters back out for a runoff election,” said Eric Tanenblatt, former Chief of Staff to Republican Governor Sonny Perdue and previous national finance co-chair for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. 

As far as the House election is currently concerned, it has yet to be called but will likely go to the GOP by narrow margins. According to AP, the GOP currently holds 212 seats, while Democrats hold 203. The house consists of 435 seats, meaning a total of 218 seats is required for the majority. 

Prior to the election Democrats held 220 seats in the house while the GOP held 212, meaning they needed to retain all of their seats and pick up an additional six for the majority. However, several seats have flipped on both sides of the aisle, making the outcome slightly less predictable. 

In California there are still at least 12 house seats that are uncalled, and could easily go to either party. In Maine 2nd district Democratic incumbent Jarden Golden has not yet called a victory, though he is predicted to win that race. The same applies to New York’s 22nd district, in which Republican Brandon WIlliams is in the lead, though the race is yet to be called. 

In Alaska, though the race is not yet officially determined, Sarah Pallin, a Trump backed GOP candidate is going to lose yet another election in that state. Other undetermined races include Colorado’s 3rd and 8th district, Arizona’s 1st and 6th district, and the race in the Oregon 6th. 

This election is sure to remain close until the end, with some races even triggering automatic recounts. Regardless, this midterm election has broken precedent and is a race to watch until the very end.