Back during Bill Clinton’s impeachment scandal, then-House-Speaker Newt Gingrich emphasized a campaign based around impeaching Clinton during the 1998 midterm elections. However, his strategy failed miserably which resulted in his subsequent resignation.
Donald Trump now faces an almost identical problem with the upcoming 2018 Midterm Elections. With Trump’s approval ratings slipping to 34% (the lowest since taking office), thanks in large part to the investigation into the connection between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 presidential election, the GOP find themselves facing a political disaster of epic proportions.
If Trump, along with the rest of the GOP, doesn't begin shifting public opinion soon, he could very well be impeached by 2018.
So this is it, huh? We’re going to have a 2018 midterm election revolving around undoing the 2016 election? https://t.co/XYiGkJB3Nr pic.twitter.com/o2n31tJPRu
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) May 30, 2017
Midterm Elections
For those not well acquainted with it, the midterm elections are held within two years after the presidential election in which all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs, as well as 33-34 of the 100 seats in the Senate.
In order for Trump’s impeachment to become a reality, the Democrats would need to win at least 218 seats in the House of Representatives to begin the process.
However, in order to remove the president from office, it would also require the approval of two-thirds of the Senate to make it happen. Considering the current make-up of the Senate, barring some sort of miraculous liberal takeover during the midterm elections, this is probably unlikely.
Although, considering the president’s approval ratings, as well as the overall public image of the GOP, a liberal majority in the House of Representatives following the midterm elections is far from abstract.
With the Russian investigation providing further incriminating evidence nearly every day, as well as the president’s childish demeanor, public opinion of the GOP is not exactly favorable. Considering the fact that the Republicans have control of both the Executive and Legislative branches, there is no one to blame for their declining popularity except themselves.
Election Results Abroad
We’ve already seen the disastrous results of losing control of the Legislative branch in the UK recently. After the election results last week for the House of Commons, the Tories, the UK’s conservative party, had lost the majority in which the domino effect within the wake of its aftermath is already taking place. Two of Prime Minister Therese May’s closest Joint Chiefs of Staff, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, have already resigned, not to mention the numerous calls for May’s own resignation.
If the GOP lose the House in the 2018 midterm elections, we could be seeing an almost identical reaction. While it’s debatable if anyone from Trump’s inner circle will resign following unfavorable election results, both the public and Legislative branch’s call for Trump to resign will certainly be at its peak. With Trump’s presidency snowballing out of control with each passing day, time is certainly not on his side.