What the Midterm Elections Imply for the Next Two Years

Tuesday’s midterm elections saw the Republican Party gaining the majority in the House of Representatives and winning a number of new seats in the Senate. These results will have a significant bearing on public policy, both foreign and domestic. Many of the Obama administration’s approaches to dealing with major issues, from the budget deficit to waging war, will likely be recalibrated to meet this new, post-midterm political reality. States and localities present another shifting policy landscape.

On November 5, Brookings hosted a discussion on the midterm election results. Moderated by Senior Fellow Thomas Mann, a panel of experts from across Brookings examined policy prospects under divided government. Ron Haskins addressed budget priorities and economic and social policies; Amy Liu assessed the possible policy consequences of the state elections; Kemal Derviş looked at possible trade and currency policy adjustments; and Michael O’Hanlon discussed the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.