Heading into 2022 with the legacy of the 2020 election is going to be very interesting to watch. In 2020, we saw a democratic majority in the House, Senate, and Presidency and saw some surprises with swing states. Also, with the Census data, several states redrew district lines that are heavily gerrymandered. During the impeachment trial only a few Senate Republicans voted to convict the former president, and this year, we will see if their constituents supported their decision.
I am especially looking forward to the Georgia Governor election this year. Stacey Abrams (D) has already announced her candidacy, setting up a possible rematch for Abrams and incumbent Governor Brian Kemp (R). According to CNN, four years ago, Abrams lost to Kemp by a slim margin that she attributed to voting inequality. Since then, Abrams has launched an organization dedicated to providing equal access to voting in Georgia and throughout the country. In addition, according to CNN, Abrams is credited with giving Georgia’s electoral votes to President Biden. I am extremely excited to see how this race will play out.
2022 is also a big year for Texas. With the 2020 Census data confirming an increase in the state’s population, current Governor Abbott signed off on a heavily gerrymandered district map. Redistricting directly affects the composition of a state’s House members. Gerrymandering is detrimental to democracy because it does not accurately represent the state’s people. According to the New York Times, in Texas, redistricting lines group BIPOC communities together and white communities together in order to guarantee an easy democrat or a republican without any competition. This decision disproportionally affects BIPOC communities because excessive gerrymandering diminishes their voice in the House of Representatives. I mention Texas because it’s a big state with more consequences, but this is happening throughout the country.
Lastly, I think Senator Lisa Murkowski (one of the Republican Senators who voted to convict Trump) is an important race to watch because it will indicate the direction of the Republican party. The Alaskan senator’s race has truly become a big debate within the Republican party. Facing backlash from Former President Trump and his supporters, many Republicans on the far right do not support her. However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has endorsed Senator Murkowski. I think this race will help individuals predict the trajectory of the Republican party’s future and decide if Murkowski made the best decision for her constituents to convict Trump.