Congressional elections in the middle of every presidential term always spur hope for change within the minority party in the House and Senate. The 2026 elections are no exception, and the campaign is unfolding in a frenzy of activity. Desperate to hang on to Republican majorities in the two chambers of Congress, President Donald Trump pushed conservative states to abandon the longtime practice of reconfiguring congressional districts once a decade. The president asked red states to redraw their congressional maps to increase the number of likely Republican districts. Texas, Missouri and North Carolina complied with his request, prompting California, Virginia and other blue states to respond with their own redistricting efforts. Then, the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in.
In this course, political experts from George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government will offer a preview and post-mortem analysis of the 2026 midterms.
Session 1: The Midterm Elections: What's in the Cards? (Mark Rozell, 10/20)
What does history suggest is likely to happen in the midterm elections? What might make this year a historical outlier that defies the precedents? Join Mark Rozell as he discusses these two key questions.
Session 2: Historic Trends in Midterm Elections (Bill Bolling, 10/27)
The speaker will look at how midterm elections have reshaped the political balance in Washington over the last several decades and flag some of the key races to watch in 2026, with an emphasis on the Senate. He will discuss voter attitudes and key issues driving them.
Session 3: What Just Happened? (David Ramadan, 11/10)
One week after the November 3, 2026 midterms, the speaker will offer a summary and analysis of the election results.
Session 4: What to Expect in 2027 and Beyond (Terry McAuliffe, 11/17)
The former Virginia governor will offer his perspective on what the midterms revealed and what they mean for the road ahead.
Mark Rozell, founding dean of the Schar School, also holds the Ruth D. and John T. Hazel Faculty Chair in Public Policy at GMU. He is the author or co-author of 14 books and editor of 20 additional books on various topics involving U.S. government and politics, including the presidency, religion and politics, media and politics, Southern politics and the role of interest groups in elections.
Bill Bolling spent most of his career in the insurance industry but also had a distinguished career in public service. He was a member and chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Hanover County, VA, then served 10 years in the Virginia State Senate. In 2005 he was elected to serve as the 39th lieutenant governor of Virginia and reelected in 2009, serving with both Democratic and Republican governors. In 2020 he joined the faculties at GMU and Virginia Commonwealth University, where he teaches courses on government and politics.
David Ramadan is an executive and international consultant with more than 25 years of advocacy and government relations experience. He served two terms in the Virginia House of Delegates (2012-2016), representing the 87th district in Loudon and Prince William counties. He holds a PhD from Vanderbilt University and is a professor at the Schar School.
Terry McAuliffe was governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. During his term, he focused on growing the state's economy, women's access to health care, public education, environmental protection, voting rights, gun control and secure consumer cyber transactions. He has been active in national politics since age 23, when he was national finance director for President Jimmy Carter. He co-chaired President Bill Clinton's 1996 campaign and chaired Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. He chaired the Democratic National Committee from 2000 to 2005 and is now a distinguished professor at the Schar School.