Switching Teams
Critical Analysis
According to the data from the chart above, who was the last U.S. Senator to switch parties?
According to the chart, who was the last U.S. House member to switch parties and then win reelection?
According to the chat, overall, when politicians switch from one party to another, do they tend to win subsequent elections?
There are 435 members of the House and 100 Senators at any given time. Why do you think so few politicians switch parties?
After the midterm elections, Democrats cheered their 51-49 advantage in the U.S. Senate. How does having a Senate majority impact the Democratic Party and Joe Biden’s policy hopes?
After the Democratic Senate victory, on December 9, 2022, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent. Because Sinema plans to caucus (join forces with) Democrats, they will still control the balance of power in the Senate. What are some advantages a party has by having a majority in a congressional chamber?
Imagine that Sinema took the next step and became a Republican and the Senate became an even split of 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. Who would then break any ties in the Senate?
Let’s talk about West Virginia and Joe Manchin for a second. Despite being a Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin, like Krysten Sinema has not been a reliable Democratic vote. The state he represents, West Virginia, is one of only six states that have a split delegation of Senators (2 Senators from opposing parties). The U.S. currently have less split delegations than we have had in a century. Explain how the lack of split delegations impacts the likelihood of Senators switching parties.
Senator Joe Manchin represents a state that is 93.5% white, and has a population of 1.792 million, which is smaller than the metropolitan area of Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA. Explain what one person holding so much political power (he can basically single-handedly veto any proposal he dislikes) says about political equality in the U.S.
Based on your knowledge of American politics explain how likely it is that a Republican Senator might now switch parties.
Learning Extension
Action Extension
Contact former Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema and let her know what you think about her party switch.
Visual Extension
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