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Continue With The Old Or Start Anew? An Examination Of Congressional Election Theories In The Context Of The 1946, 1948, 1994 And 1996 Elections, Elizabeth Ivry

Honors Theses

The differences in these election results raise several questions about the role and purpose of congressional elections in our democratic society. What factors could explain why two such similar elections, those of 1946 and 1994, were followed by two such different elections, those of 1948 and 1996? Has the relationship between congressional elections and congressional behaviors changed in the past 50 years? Are congressional elections still a referendum of the previous Congress and the incumbent presidency, or are other factors influencing the electorate's voting patterns? Were the midterm elections of 1946 and 1994 just extreme examples of what political scientists …