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[[Image:Capital.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The United States Capitol in Washington, D. C.]] In the '''2010 Midterm Elections,''' the nation will elect the 112th Congress, including all members of the House and one third of the Senate, together with a majority of governorships and many state and local offices.

[[Image:Capital.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The United States Capitol in Washington, D. C.]] In the '''2010 Midterm Elections,''' the [[Republican Party]] gained 61+ seats in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], and six seats in the [[U.S. Senate]] from the [[Democratic Party]]. Republicans also gained eight governorships, including [[Pennsylvania]], [[Ohio]], and [[Michigan]].

After the [[Democratic Party]] successes in the 2006 off-year election (when they recaptured Congress), augmented by more gains in the [[United States Presidential Election, 2008|Presidential Election of 2008]], the question is whether the Democrats will hold their gains or slip back. Since the Democrats have an advantage of 257-178 in the House, the GOP must gain 40 seats to recapture control. With the Democrats in control of the Senate 59-41 (counting the two independents), the GOP needs to gain 10 seats in the Senate to retake control. Here are [[CNN]]'S top 100 races to watch: [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/27/the-cnn-100-full-list/].  There are an additional 25 races which [[liberals]] also risk losing on [[Election Day]].

Republicans gained the most House seats since the [[1938 Midterm Elections]], giving Republicans their biggest House majority, and Democrats their smallest minority, since [[1946 Midterm Elections|1946]]. Republicans also gained 680 seats in state legislatures, the most in the modern era. <ref>http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/wehner/380851</ref>

Early voting is increasingly important: "One-fifth of the electorate voted early in 2004, one-quarter did in 2006, and one-third in 2008."<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39444285/ns/politics-decision_2010</ref>

Democratic loses could be attributed to the [[Recession of 2008]], which continued into the [[Obama administration]]. The public had weak confidence in [[President Obama]]'s economic policies. In the days leading up to the election, a majority of voters supported repealing/replacing [[Obamacare|The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]], Sixty-five percent of voters said that the [[economic stimulus package]] either hurt the economy or did no good <ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021591-503544.html</ref>, and fifty-four percent of those voting said they were dissatisfied with the performance of [[Barack Obama]]. Given the high level of Democratic success in the 2006 and 2008 elections, they were also put in the position of having to defend a large number of seats.

 

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