Author’s Note: This article was written before the 2024 Senate elections.
With the presidential election fast approaching, many Concord Academy students have turned their attention to politics. Whether registering to vote for the first time or taking Stephanie Manzella’s Presidents class, students are dialed into the goings-on of the 2024 presidential race. However, fewer students are aware of the Senate races that are simultaneously in progress.
As one half of the United States’ legislative body, the Senate plays a huge role in the fluctuations of public policy. This election, 34 Senate seats are up for reelection. Many of the contested seats have the potential to flip this election, which would allow Democrats to regain control of the Senate or Republicans to maintain the majority. According to a New York Times study, the four main tossup states are Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, although seats in many other states have the potential to change parties as well. Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania all have incumbent Democrats running for reelection, and are challenged by Republicans. In the Michigan race, the current Republican senator is stepping down, and neither candidate is an incumbent.
One way to examine candidates in any political race is to understand their stances on different public policy issues. In a small poll of CA students, The Centipede found that many students are particularly concerned with the issues of abortion and gay marriage rights in upcoming elections.
In Ohio, Democratic incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown is in favor of nationwide abortion protections, while the Republican candidate Bernie Moreno supports a national abortion ban with no exceptions. Brown has previously opposed an amendment to the Ohio constitution that would ban gay marriage, and Moreno has also expressed his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
In Wisconsin, incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin fully supports access to abortion, whilst her Republican opponent Eric Hovde opposes abortion, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and pregnancies where the carrier’s life is threatened. Baldwin, who is the first openly gay member of the Senate, has always voted in the interest of protecting same-sex marriage rights. Hovde, in contrast, is a blatantly anti-LGBTQ+ politician.
In Michigan, Democrat Elissa Slotkin is running against Republican Mike Rogers, neither candidate as an incumbent. Slotkin, who supports abortion rights, was endorsed by the non-profit organization Reproductive Freedom For All. She is also in favor of same-sex marriage rights. Rogers, who is considered by many to be anti-LGBTQ+, is also in favor of a national abortion ban.
Finally, in Pennsylvania, Democrat incumbent Bob Casey is being challenged by Republican Dave McCormick. Casey has previously referred to himself as a pro-life Democrat, but he is not in favor of a national abortion ban, which his opponent McCormick supports. Both Casey and McCormick are in favor of same-sex marriage equality.
While not all CA students live in states with toss-up Senate elections, the actions of the Senate have a nationwide impact. Being aware of the Senate races can help students understand what could be coming in the government, and the changes that may ensue just based on these four states.
Editor's Note: As of November 7, Moreno has won the Ohio senate seat. Baldwin has won the senate race in Wisconsin, while Slotkin has won her seat in Michigan. McCormick appears to have defeated Casey by less than 32,000 votes.