Catch the Wave: Voter Discontent During Wave Elections
Press Release · Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Washington, DC

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, October 24, at 7 p.m., former Members of Congress will discuss voter discontent during wave elections. This event will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Museum in Washington and live streamed on YouTube. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.  This public program is free to the public, but reservations are recommended and can be made online.

Are the 2018 midterms going to be a wave election? While the party controlling the White House traditionally loses congressional seats during midterm elections, there are numerous instances of wave elections, where one party suffers an extraordinary turnover. In partnership with the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress, we present a bipartisan panel who either exited or entered Congress as part of a wave.

Moderated by Roll Call journalist David Hawkings, panelists include former members of Congress: Governor James Blanchard (D-MI); Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY); Marjorie Margolies (D-PA); Tom Davis (R-VA), and political analyst John Ashford.   The panel will discuss the political climate preceding the election, their experience campaigning during uncertain political times, and the impact for newly elected members who had to achieve the change the voters demanded. While the discussion will focus on past elections, lessons learned will be applied to the November 6, 2018, midterms.

The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, is Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial station. For upcoming programs, visit the Calendar of Events online: www.archives.gov/calendar.