On Tuesday, there will be only one meaningful question for voters in congressional elections–do you prefer a Trump checker or a Trump enabler? For the Democrats, it doesn’t matter if you support single-payer or just the public option, or whether you want to abolish ICE or not, or whether you think a carbon tax or cap-and-trade is the best way to combat climate change, because none of that is going to happen in the next two years. It’s just about doing whatever we can to leash the beast and save the country.
The dynamics of 2020 will be very different. While Trump will be on the ballot next time, paradoxically, the election will be less a referendum on him and more of a choice between two competing visions for America. The economy will matter more, but it will almost certainly be in worse shape than it is today. Finally, the GOP will be defending far more Senate seats than it is on Tuesday.
The task of defining the party’s positive vision for America starts with its presidential candidates, and begins on Wednesday. I will be turning my attention to that issue in this blog, as well.