by Mikaela Gantz
With just under two weeks remaining until election day, November 8th, there are many very competitive races across the country to keep an eye on. This week, it’s time to shine the spotlight on Arizona, as it has a very close gubernatorial race. This governor race is one of the most competitive in the country right now and analysts are keeping a close eye on it to more accurately predict trends in voting patterns. The race is Republican, Kari Lake, against Democrat, Katie Hobbs, both female politicians, neither an incumbent to the office. Polls are predicting the election to be very tight, Lake is only ahead by a predicted 1% right now in polls, though she has been increasing in numbers for the past few weeks. This race is one both parties are looking at as very important, and political analysts will view the turnout as a predictor for where the public lies leading up to the next presidential election in a couple of years. Tight races like this draw public attention from across the spectrum, and are typically a good indicator of public sentiment. Along with attention, they draw in capital, the Arizona gubernatorial races are one of the most expensive this election cycle. Both parties, along with private donors, are funneling in money to endorse their candidates.
Kari Lake, the republican running for office, is also an issue of concern for many voters due to her 2020 election denial. Voting people into office who don’t believe in, or trust in, the democratic political system of this country is worrying to many Americans, on both sides of the political spectrum. This kind of sentiment is growing more common among politicians and some worry about the state of American democracy should it continue growing.
Many people when thinking of midterms think of Congress. Yes, the congressional elections are very important, you should care about who is your representative, and for many who is your senator. However, it is important to vote in midterms for more than just congressional seats. Many states have governorships up for election on the midterm ballots, and who your governor is does directly affect you. Governors oversee state laws and the state executive branch, and for voters conscious of recent events, issues like abortion will likely be heavily influenced by the governor of your state.
Reference: CNBC, 2022
