Political Behavior in Midterm Elections

Elizabeth Theiss-Morse and Michael Wagner, new authors to the Political Behavior franchise, hit the ground running in their analysis of the factors that led to Democrats losing the House of Representatives and retaining only a slim majority in the Senate after the 2010 midterm elections.

Drawing from the most recent National Election Study surveys, this substantial supplement includes an array of tables and figures featuring new data and includes close analysis of: 

• The Tea Party's impact on election outcomes, as well as more detailed coverage of some of the most noteworthy races in Delaware, Nevada, Alaska, and Florida;
• The role of independents in elections, particularly in this era of partisan polarization;
• The influence of record campaign spending on election outcomes; and
• Whether supporting President Obama's major programs helped or hurt members of Congress.

The authors answer the question, "What do the 2010 midterm elections mean?" and consider whether the outcome is simply the result of a poor economy, if health care reform ought to be repealed—or did Americans just want to throw out the scoundrels.