2014 Midterm Election Guide: What Are the Issues?

The Economy

What's the Issue?

While the numbers have gone from worse to less-worse, the economy still isn't great. And it's the issue where neither party is safe.

What the Right Says...

Bah humbug. Unemployment is too high, and the federal government's policies have done nothing but make it all worse.

What the Left Says...

Bah humbug. 2014 should've been the year to celebrate how President Obama turned things around. Not the case.

Which States Could Make the Difference?

Wisconsin: Incumbent Gov. Scott Walker (R) got into office by promising to bring jobs to WI. His opponent Mary Burke (D) says he hasn't delivered—and her ads on the issue are making voters think twice about whether their gov. Walkers the walk.

Florida: Polls have former Gov. Charlie Crist (D), who was in office during the recession, within a few points of incumbent Gov. Rick Scott (R), who has been in office during the state's recovery. Toss up as to what that means on Election Day.

Georgia: Georgia has the highest unemployment rate in the country. And Gov. Nathan Deal (R) isn't handling it well. He's accused the US Labor Dept. of shady accounting. To which the Labor Dept. said 'what's wrong with you.' So there's that.

theSkimm

The economy means jobs. And at the local level, that's what matters most.

Immigration

What's the Issue?

This year, tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants, many of them children, crossed the US-Mexico border. Immigration reform was always numero uno on President Obama's to-do list, but after this summer it became even more of a concern for voters. And since there are a lot of opinions on what to do about this, and nervous Dems looking at the calendar, Obama's decided it might be a good idea to wait until after people head to the polls on Election Day to take this up again.

What the Right Says...

Giving undocumented immigrants "amnesty" is never a good idea, but the fact that Obama's waiting on taking action "smacks of raw politics."

What the Left Says...

Phew.

Which States Could Make the Difference?

Texas: This year, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children crossed the US-Mexico border into Texas. So it’s a big voter issue in the state, especially in the gov. race.

Arizona: Like Texas, has felt the pressure of a rising undocumented population. Arizona's a border state, and voters are zeroing in on the issue.

Virginia: David Brat (R) won his state's House primary by tapping into conservatives' anger against Majority Leader Eric Cantor for supporting some immigration reform. Making it Da Brat’s favorite issue.

Florida: The Hispanic vote's so important that both candidates for gov. picked Hispanic running mates.

theSkimm

What do you get when you mix a key voting bloc, an election year, and an influx of unaccompanied minors crossing the US border? A melting pot of issues that’s been overflowing.

Social Issues

What's the Issue?

Dems are desperately trying to hold onto control of the Senate. And women's issues might be the X (chromosome) factor that they need to get it done. Meanwhile, Dems are hoping gay marriage is still a way to get the base to the polls, while Republicans are mostly mum on it.

What the Right Says...

Private companies should have a right to decide contraception insurance for themselves (exhibit A: the Hobby Lobby decision). P.S.: we're all for over-the-counter birth control pills now. And please, please, let's avoid another Todd Akin. As for gay marriage? We’re too busy worrying about the economy, please call again later.

What the Left Says...

A woman's health is between her and her doctor. If you vote GOP, say goodbye to equal pay and many reproductive choices. As far as gay marriage goes, let's roll out the Supreme Court’s red carpet to the altar. Many states have legalized it but we want the Supremes to stamp approval once and for all.

Which States Could Make the Difference?

North Carolina: Sen. Kay Hagan (D) is hitting her Republican opponent Thom Tillis (R) hard for limiting access to birth control and blocking Planned Parenthood funding.

Colorado: In the Senate race, Rep. Cory Gardner (R) recently decided he's OK with over-the-counter birth control, which might have something to do with the fact that he's got a lady problem—his opponent Sen. Mark Udall (D) has an edge among women voters.

Texas: Everything's bigger in Texas, especially women's issues. State Sen. Wendy Davis (D)—who you know for filibustering an anti-abortion bill in her pink sneaks—is VERY pro-choice. Her opponent in VERY pro-life.

Kentucky: Alison Grimes (D) is portraying her opponent, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), as a he-man-woman hater. Grimes has a slight edge with the ladies, and is focusing on McConnell's record: he's voted against the Violence Against Women Act, and an equal pay bill.

theSkimm

After the 2010 midterms, a wave of measures restricting abortion were passed in states. Women's issues are always hot-button—but right now, they're particularly red-hot. And gay. marriage has changed from being THE issue to the asterisks—still a talking point, but less of a debate.

Foreign Policy

What's the Issue?

President Obama's had to deal with just a few international crises lately. But the one grabbing voters' attention is ISIS—the Islamic militant group that's been terrorizing its way through Iraq since earlier this year. Now, less than three years after the US left Iraq, the US is militarily involved again. Leading Obama to admit recently that the US "underestimated" ISIS. You don't say?

What the Right Says...

Too little too late. President Obama—and the Dems—have misjudged ISIS all along, and have been too slow to react to the threat. Now, we've got a Grade A terror group that could plan attacks on the West next.

What the Left Says...

This isn’t good. Next question, please.

Which States Could Make the Difference?

New Hampshire: Scott Brown's (R) favorite issue. He says both President Obama and his opponent, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D), are "confused" about the threat posed by ISIS.

Arkansas: One of the states the GOP would really love to take home on Nov. 4th. One of their recent ads warns of a "world in chaos," and says the state needs someone who will stand up to President Obama.

North Carolina: GOP challenger Thom Tillis is hitting incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan (D) for missing many of her Armed Services Committee hearings this year, saying it's another sign she missed the boat on ISIS (just like Obama!).

theSkimm

Foreign policy and national security has voters' attention across the country. And while it's just another way for the GOP to peg Dems to an unpopular president, the Dems don't seem to have a clear message to fight back with.

President Obama

What's the Issue?

President Obama's name isn’t on any of the ballots in this election, but it might as well be. The last time a president had approval ratings near these levels was Dubya 43 in '06, when Dems took the midterms by storm. Now, Republicans are hoping to snag the Senate, and the strategy is talking about Obama. A lot.

What the Right Says...

President Obama's got it wrong on everything: foreign policy, jobs, and immigration. And the Dems are just his "foot soldiers." Plus, don't get them started on Obamacare. They're not about repealing the law anymore, but they're calling it the symbol of all that's wrong with "big government."

What the Left Says...

They solemnly swear they are up to nothing related to President Obama. Dems loved him six years ago when everything was hopey-changey, but now that Obama’s not so popular anymore, they’re changing their tune.

Which States Could Make the Difference?

Kentucky: Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) is the guy who once said his number one priority is to make Obama a "one-term president." That didn’t work out, so McConnell’s spent this midterm season pretending that his Democratic opponent Alison Grimes is wearing an Obama mask.

Louisiana: Rep. Bill Cassidy (R) isn't letting his opponent forget that time she voted for Obamacare. He sponsored a House bill that would let consumers who lost coverage post-Obamacare get it back through 2018.

New Hampshire: President Obama won New Hampshire in the '12 election, but support for him has seriously declined. Scott Brown (R) has called Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) Obama's "no. 1 foot soldier," and he'll try to link her to Barry’s agenda as much as possible.

Arkansas: Incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor (D) is one of the few Dems going on offense on Obamacare. In an ad, he talks about his battle with cancer, and how the health care law would have helped him get coverage for treatments that he had to pay for out of pocket.

theSkimm

Dems are in serious danger of losing control of the Senate this time around. And to try to keep it, lots of them have had to turn on their own president in the process.