A Voter’s Guide: 10 Facts about Midterm Elections
6. Walking the Party Line
Because midterms are dependent on turning out your party’s base, politicians have to walk the party line on many issues. That being the case, politicians of all sorts, local, state, and federal, have to walk the party line, defend their fellow party members, and carry water for their party’s federal policy decisions. Republicans will have to defend their actions during the government shutdown, even if they personally weren’t involved or even held a differing opinion. Breaking party rank and file during a midterm is very rare, and generally unwise. It is the party and its base which will win or lose many elections. Creating division within those ranks is unwise and hurts ones prospect of winning.
