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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 27: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a video call with the White House Covid-19 Response team and the National Governors Association in the South Court Auditorium at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on December 27, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden spoke to governors about their concerns over the Omicron variant and the need for more COVID-19 tests.
The upcoming midterm elections in November 2022 could reportedly pose threats to Joe Biden, his administration, and the Democratic party.
According to reports, Biden's approval ratings are relatively low, and his signature proposals have been bogged down. During his first year in office, the Biden administration also faced major political setbacks like the inability to pass his Build Back Better welfare and climate legislation.
However, Biden and his administration also experienced some legislative victories this year alone. Democrats were able to push a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus package in March. This month, the House and the Senate also passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and a $777 billion defense budget.
Joe Biden did a good job as president despite the circumstances
James Thurber, a professor of government at American University in Washington, DC, said under all the circumstances Biden faced, the POTUS still did a relatively good job during his first year in office.
However, Americans will still be disappointed because he was unable to get a lot of things done.
"People will still be disappointed and he will have a rough time in 2022 because it's an election year. It will be an ugly year of confrontation, partisanship, and gridlock," Thurber said via Al Jazeera.
Democrats, Republicans want to control the Congress
Next year, the midterm elections will take place, and it could see the Democratic Party losing control of Congress. If this happens, the political landscape for the next two years until the 2024 election will also change.
Democrats currently hold a narrow lead in the House of Representatives and a controlling tie vote in the Senate. But in November, all 453 House seats and a third of the 100-seat Senate are up for election.
The publication pointed out that it's not surprising if Democrats would lose control of Congress in 2022. After all, this is what usually happens depending on the party of the POTUS.
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris approval rating
Biden's approval rating has consistently gone down in the past couple of months. In fact, Kamala Harris' approval rating already overtook Biden's.
New polling by Gallup revealed that Harris' approval rating is now higher than her disapproval rating. The vice president's approval rating was also at 44 percent, while Biden's approval rating was only at 43 percent, according to Newsweek.
Senatorial, gubernatorial elections to take place in 2022
According to ABC News, there is also a slew of key races to watch out for in 2022 as the Republicans fight to regain their control.
For instance, Pennsylvania will elect a new senator in 2022 after Rep. Sen. Pat Toomey announced that she wouldn't be seeking reelection.
Following the retirement of Rep. Sen. Rob Portman, his post in Ohio could be picked up by Rep. Tim Ryan.
North Carolina and Georgia are also up for Senate election or reelection. In the former, Republicans hope to hold the seat of retiring Sen. Richard Burr. In Georgia, Sen. Raphael Warnock is trying to defend his Democratic seat in the Senate.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Alaska, Senate races will also occur in 2022 alongside the governor races in Michigan and Georgia.
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