News Analysis
The 2022 midterm elections show U.S. voters are more sharply divided than at any time since the 2000 election. Not only did voters split control over Congress, but the large number of razor-thin margins of victory point to a potential windfall of victories for the party that captures swing voters in 2024.
The economy and the unique characteristics of the candidates will certainly play an important role in the next election. In addition, voting patterns from past elections can yield interesting insights into what to expect in the next election cycle.
The Federal Election Commission provides extensive data on votes for the House, Senate, and presidency by political party. The following table shows the total votes in millions going to Democrat candidates and Republican candidates in each national election since 2000. The table also shows the margin by which the total votes for Democrats exceeded or fell short of the total of Republican votes….