Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:27:50.531Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

How Large a Wave? Using the Generic Ballot to Forecast the 2010 Midterm Elections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2010

Alan I. Abramowitz
Affiliation:
Emory University

Extract

As Election Day approaches, many political commentators are asking whether the 2010 midterm elections could be a reprise of 1994, when Republicans picked up eight seats in the Senate and 52 seats in the House of Representatives to take control of both chambers for the first time in 40 years. There is almost universal agreement that Republicans are poised to make major gains in both the House and the Senate. And while the GOP's chances of gaining the 10 seats needed to take control of the upper chamber appear remote, results from the generic ballot forecasting model indicate that the 39 seats required to take back the House of Representatives are well within reach.

Type
Symposium
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abramowitz, Alan I. 2006. “National Conditions, Strategic Politicians, and U.S. Congressional Elections: Using the Generic Vote to Forecast the 2006 House and Senate Elections.” PS: Political Science and Politics 39: 863–66.Google Scholar
Abramowitz, Alan I. 2010. “Can Republicans Take Back the House?” Sabato's Crystal Ball, June 17. http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/aia2010061701/.Google Scholar
Cook, Charlie. 2010. “Hurricane GOP on the Way.” National Journal Magazine, July 3. http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cookreport.php.Google Scholar
Jones, Jeffrey M. 2010. “Low Approval of Congress Points to High Seat Change in Nov.” Gallup, June 24. http://www.gallup.com/poll/141017/Low-Approval-Congress-Points-High-Seat-Change-Nov.aspx.Google Scholar
Mellman, Mark S. 2010. “50 the Magic Number for Obama.” The Hill, June 22. http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/mark-mellman/104891-50-the-magic-number-for-obama.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sabato, Larry J. 2010. “May Senate Update.” Sabato's Crystal Ball, May 20. http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/ljs2010052001/.Google Scholar
Wood, Isaac. 2010. “May House Update.” Sabato's Crystal Ball, May 27. http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/itw2010052701/.Google Scholar