Washington Post Reporter Analyzes Midterm Elections at 'American Forum'

Professor Jane Hall and Chris Cillizza at American University in Washington, DC
on Thursday, Oct. 23. Cillizza discussed the upcoming midterm elections
with the student audience. (Photo by Eric Heigis)

“People don’t feel the need to vote because this election is not addressing any big issues,” Chris Cillizza, Washington Post reporter and blogger on “The Fix”, said on Thursday night. He was visiting American University for their latest installment of the American Forum. Cillizza answered questions from the audience about the upcoming midterm elections. He talked less about individual races and his predicted outcomes, and more about the elections process in general.

He began by explaining some of the shifts in demographics, with Hispanics projected to be a majority of voters in 2050. Loren Grier, a junior at American University, said that was the most surprising point,  and that “representation in Congress is not representative of the people. With gerrymandering and voter ID laws, too many minorities are not able to win.”

Most of his comments were about the low voter turnout rate in midterm elections. He compared elections to football games, saying that loyal fans watch every game, but even casual fans and unlikely fans watch the Superbowl. Just like hardcore Republicans and Democrats will always vote in the primaries and midterms, but even people who don’t care about politics will vote in presidential elections. He also criticized youth, those 18-24 years old, for having the lowest voter turnout rate. He asked the college-aged audience why that is, and the overall feeling was that politicians don’t address issues important to youth, like student debt.

Matthew Grossman, a senior, agreed with Cillizza, saying, “Millenials are turned off by politics because we’re still treated like little kids. Politicians need to focus on our problems too, not just the problems facing our parents and grandparents.” He also said he was worried about getting a job after graduation.

Other students found the youth turnout rates “eye opening”. Matt Wilson, a sophomore, said “Obama can’t run again, and I don’t think many other candidates can get the same amount of support he did in 2008.” Wilson’s comment was in response to Cillizza’s point that youth voter turnout in 2008 and 2012 was not up, the youth were just more loyal to Obama.

This event was sponsored by the Washington Post and American University’s School of Communication and Kennedy Political Union. Professor Jane Hall moderated the event. Hall is no stranger to politics, she regularly appears on CNN, MSNBC, and other networks to discuss the media in politics, and is frequently quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Politico.

Cillizza ended by looking past the election, to the next Congress. He said, “if people wonder what the 114^th Congress will do, look at the 113^th [current] Congress.” He said this Congress was full of very bitter and partisan fights, and that even if the Republicans win the Senate, fighting won’t just stop.