I’m not a political prognosticator, nor do I play one on TV, but I would be awfully surprised if the Republicans didn’t win back the House today, and possibly the Senate.
You could see a tidal wave coming from a mile away. I’ve lived through many presidential and mid-term elections, and I don’t recall seeing this level of anguish, frustration, and outright anger from the American people. We’re in unchartered territory.
My guess is the House will be solidly Republican, and the Senate probably near a dead heat.
So what does this mean for President Obama and his agenda?
Well, if he follows President Clinton’s lead after the 1994 midterms, when the Republicans took over both houses of Congress after 40 years of Democratic rule, he may tack back to the center. Clinton wisely focused on “Republican” issues like welfare reform and budget cuts on his way to re-election; Obama would be wise to do the same. It may require adopting a more flexible style when it comes to reaching across party lines.