To prepare for the midterm elections in November, NFIB members should pay attention to the primaries.
Primary elections span from March to September across the United States, as the country prepares for the Midterm elections in November.
The busiest month will be June, with 17 different primary elections, while there are no primaries scheduled in July, according to the Federal Election Commission.
“Elections are a business decision, and as a business owner, you should find out who is going to be the best advocate for your business,” said NFIB National Political Director Sharon Sussin. “Good small business policy starts with electing good small business candidates, and it’s never too early to be on the lookout for them.”
NFIB has met with and interviewed more than 100 candidates running for office, so we can support those who will stand up for small business owners. We have identified nearly 20 NFIB members running for office at the federal level, and thousands more running for state and local offices, said NFIB Senior Political Programs Coordinator Abigail Conrad.
Some notable races to watch include the Indiana Senate race. NFIB member Mike Braun – who just won a competitive primary – is looking to unseat current U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly. Braun owns Meyer Distributing, a logistics company that has been around since the 1930’s and employees nearly 1,000 Hoosiers.
Another NFIB member running for Congress is Pete Stauber. The former St. Louis County Commissioner is running in Minnesota’s open 8th Congressional District. A former pro-hockey player, Stauber owns Duluth Hockey Company with his brothers.
“These races are just an example of opportunities where NFIB can engage to help elect someone who will be a reliable vote for small business in Congress,” Conrad said.
Are you an NFIB member running for office? Let us know by emailing [email protected]
Primary elections are just the start of what will be a contentious midterm election in November. At stake: The pro-small business majority in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. The current makeup of the Senate is 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. There are 35 seats up for election, with Democrats defending 26 seats and Republicans defending nine, including three open seats due to the retirement of Senators Corker (TN), Flake (AZ), and Hatch (UT). Democrats will need a net gain of two seats to over-turn the current pro-small business majority.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House are up for election. Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in order to gain control of the House. Historically, the party holding the White House loses about 33 seats in a midterm election when the president’s job approval is under 50 percent, according to the American Presidency Project. The president’s estimated approval rate is 44.2 percent. The estimation was created by RealClearPolitics, which used an amalgamation of several polls including Reuters, Gallup, and Pew Research.
The NFIB election center has all the tools for NFIB members to be a #SmallBizVoter this election season. You can register to vote, find your polling place, learn about the candidates on your ballot, and find NFIB’s Fed PAC endorsed candidates.
