ThinkTankWeekly

What do special elections mean for the midterm elections?

Brookings | 2026-04-27 | americas

Topics: United States, Americas

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English Summary

Special elections serve as reliable indicators of midterm trends, suggesting a favorable political momentum for Democrats. Evidence shows that Democrats have significantly outperformed Republicans in recent special elections and off-year contests, a trend attributed to declining presidential approval ratings and voter frustration over high prices. Strategically, this suggests a strong midterm outlook for the Democratic party. However, the analysis warns that the combination of a negative campaign environment and the difficulty of motivating the Republican base without the former president could lead to an exceptionally negative and volatile election cycle for both parties.

中文摘要

特選選舉可作為衡量中期趨勢的可靠指標,顯示民主黨具備有利的政治動能。證據顯示,在近期的特選和非總統年選舉中,民主黨的表現顯著優於共和黨。這種趨勢被歸因於總統支持率下降以及選民對高物價的普遍不滿。從戰略角度來看,這預示著民主黨在中期選舉中前景強勁。然而,分析警告指出,在負面競選環境和缺乏前總統的基礎動員困難結合下,這可能導致兩黨都面臨極度負面且波動的選舉週期。

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