Presidential Politics and the 2010 Midterm Elections

Catalog description

November 2010 promises to be an important month for President Obama and for American politics. It will be his first off-year or midterm elections. Historically, we know that the President’s party often loses seats in the House and the Senate. In some cases the off-year and midterm elections become centered on the president’s performance to date or on a particular program or policy which he has championed. This course examines the historical content of prior midterm elections, places the 2010 midterm election in the context of prior midterm elections and within the context of Presidential politics, considers the various possible outcomes and what they could mean for the future of American politics and considers the impact of the midterm elections on the 2012 Presidential race and how both Democrats and Republicans are affected by the results. This course is designed for the student who wants to understand the midterm elections and their possible political significance. Professor Caputo has extensive experience in electoral politics and public policy analysis. We will also be utilizing C-SPAN and I Clicker technology in the course. Both majors and non-majors are welcome.