Summary
The political stakes are high for the upcoming elections on Tuesday, November 3. American voters will choose between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden and determine the makeup of the House and Senate amid the unprecedented circumstances surrounding a coronavirus pandemic, which has directly afflicted the President and others in the Administration and Congress. Meanwhile, a new Supreme Court nomination with potentially significant implications for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Roe v. Wade, and possibly the presidential election will speed forward as votes are being cast.
At the moment, Vice President Biden appears poised to win the presidential election, although the margin of his victory could well determine whether the results are subject to protracted review or legal challenge by the Trump Campaign. President Trump’s unpopularity will likely influence the outcome of highly competitive Senate races, with Democrats likely to flip the Senate by a narrow margin. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats are highly likely to maintain and expand their comfortable margin. These projected outcomes could sway substantially depending on unpredictable voter turnout during the pandemic.
This document is intended to provide an overview of where key races currently stand, how the coronavirus pandemic may affect voter turnout, and provide insight into the outcomes that key experts are predicting.