By Charlotte Baer
Volume 69, Issue I

Every two years there is a Congressional election for all members of the House of Representatives. That will take place this November. Over the past few months, there have been primary elections held to pick candidates to run for these seats. Although most members of Congress are running again, there are quite a few vacant seats and other seats that will be up for grabs. Currently, there are 193 democrats and 236 republicans along with 6 vacant seats in the House of Representatives. In order to gain control of the house, either party must elect at least 218 of their members.

This year has been a historic one. With voting rates up in the primaries, that trend will likely continue into the midterms; there seems to be a much greater interest in this election cycle than is usual in an off year election, which is when a president is not running. There is a much larger group of new candidates who have run in the primaries, many of whom have won their party’s nomination. This includes many first time candidates who have seemingly been energized by the recent political happenings. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, served as the U.S. Representative for Texas’s 16th congressional district since 2013. Currently, he is running in Texas for Senate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. In 1971 Lloyd Bentsen Jr. was elected as Senator of Texas, the last democratic senator Texas elected. Beto O’Rourke could change this history, leading just a few points behind Cruz. It is elections like these that can change the history of America.

In New York State, for governor, Andrew Cuomo (D) won the primary against first time candidate Cynthia Nixon. Marc Molinaro (R) won the Republican primary, running unopposed. Gillibrand is up for reelection as senator from New York State against Chele Farley. Many seats such as Gillibrand’s seem to already be decided, a situation referred to as safe seats. But it seems, in this election, there are many seats, formerly considered safe seats, that now are in play. Because of this scenario, everyone over the age of 18 should get out and vote.