With just days until the midterm elections, party leaders on both sides of the aisle are looking ahead to the next two years as they set the stage for the 2024 elections and beyond.
Republicans are predicted to have big wins in the 2022 midterm elections, with forecasters predicting the GOP is favored to take control of the House. The Senate is less certain, with most forecasters rating the outcome as a toss-up.
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The fate of Congress may determine which party will have the upper hand in 2024, with the midterm elections next week having significant implications for the political futures of several lawmakers and party figures.
Here are the most high-profile party leaders with the most on the line in the 2022 midterm elections:
President Joe Biden
Midterm elections typically act as a referendum on the current president and his political party, meaning next week’s elections have a lot at stake for President Joe Biden as he seeks to hold to his influence in Congress.
If Democrats lose control of the House, which they are projected to do, Biden’s domestic agenda will be all but dead for the next two years, as it will be unlikely he’ll make much headway with a Republican majority. Furthermore, massive losses in the House and Senate could harm his standing for a possible second term — prompting some Democrats to mull a challenge to oust him in the primaries.
Biden’s approval ratings have continued to lag, with a recent Ipsos poll showing only 40% approving of his job performance, compared to 55% who say they disapprove.
Former President Donald Trump
Though he will not appear on the ballot, former President Donald Trump has had a major role in the midterm elections, putting much of his reputation on the line before possibly launching a second reelection bid for 2024.
Trump has endorsed a number of candidates throughout the GOP primaries, seeking to elevate some of his closest allies and supporters to federal office. Their fates will determine whether the former president still has a tight hold on the party or if his influence is beginning to fade.
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer
Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have a lot riding on the outcome of the midterm elections, with both of their leadership positions in flux should they lose their majority in their respective chambers.
Despite leading House Democrats for nearly 20 years, Pelosi’s run may soon be coming to an end — especially if her party loses the majority it has boasted since 2018. Pelosi’s absence would be a loss for Democrats, as the California Democrat has long been a fundraising powerhouse, raising $1.25 billion since taking on the party’s House leadership in 2002.
Schumer faces similar risks, seeking to defend Democrats’ tight majority in the Senate to ensure the party can control at least one chamber of Congress. However, the party leader has voiced some concerns in recent weeks, getting caught on a hot mic telling Biden that Democrats are “going downhill” in Georgia and expressing disbelief that Republican Herschel Walker might win the Senate race.
Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy
On the other hand, both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have much to gain should they flip both chambers in the GOP’s favor, setting the stage for possibly big wins in 2024.
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Should Republicans take control of the House, McCarthy would likely be elected as the newest speaker, with the California Republican already unveiling his planned “Commitment to America” agenda. The agenda includes proposals that would be introduced in the early days of the new Congress, including economic policies and pushes to reopen the Capitol building to the public.
McConnell’s leadership is less certain, as several Republican senators and GOP Senate candidates have remained adamant they would not support elevating him to become the majority leader. However, no other Republican has expressed plans to challenge him for the position.
