Midterm Hangover 2018

If you don't know me let me start by saying hi, I'm Claire! I am a junkie for doing my civic duty and attempting to keep up on politics just as your average college student.

November is always a very busy month for me school- wise, but this November 6th I knew I had to carve out time in my day to go out to vote in the midterm elections. Shout out to Professor Wolfe for canceling our afternoon class so we can make time to vote. I drove out to my home county (about 45 minutes away) to cast my vote then spent the later part of the night attempting to keep up with race.

I am from Michigan and this midterm election had a big impact on us in the mitten state! I am a fairly moderate voter so I try to always stay open minded, but this year I simply had to lean liberal and the results were very pleasing! Gretchen Whitmer (D) won the gubernatorial election and Debbie Stabenow (D) is staying in as our senator. Along with a few big Democrat wins, all three of Michigan's proposals were voted in favor. I truly hope for only good things to come from Michigan's government this term!

Looking nationally, Democrats may not have made the #bluewave they were aiming for, but an impact was made for sure. The democrats took House as well as gained a few more Senate seats.

In all honesty I do not hate all Republicans or really think an all blue congress would be beneficial for our country, but now that congress is a little bit more even, there can be more checks and balances in the US government ... hopefully.

While many positives came from this year's midterms, there were also some disappointments. Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke (D) lost the Senate race to Senator Ted Cruz (R), Georgia candidate Stacey Abrams (D) lost the gubernatorial election to Brian Kemp (R), and the Missouri Senate seat going to Josh Hawley (R) over Claire McCaskill (D). This was a sad, but expected because these states are notorious for being right leaning.

All of the races were real nail biters, back and forth the entire time, so I was at max stress level while habitually checking the results at the library while I probably should've been studying.

Either way I remain hopeful for the future of the government and I am already looking forward to voting in 2020. Hope to see more of the great candidates that did not win last night in the future. I'm looking at you Beto!

BETO