SUMMARY
The Texas flag shares America's red, white and blue. But its politics have run Republican red for thirty years. Shifting demographics have raised and dashed Democrats' hopes before, but this year, a GOP divided by political scandals, rising prices and fights over big tech is restoring Democrats' faith in a potential Senate race upset.
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WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Lisa Desjardins, and what is her background?
- What trend are polls showing regarding the midterms, according to Lisa Desjardins?
- How are independent voters (those not registered as Democrats or Republicans) leaning, according to the polls in this segment?
- Why does President Trump seem to be negatively impacting the chances of Republican midterm candidates?
- What are some of the issues where Democrats lead in this public opinion polling?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How do you think Republican political candidates might shift their campaign strategies around President Trump's sinking popularity? What actions might they take to distance themselves from Trump? Or do you think some candidates might continue to highlight their support for Trump?
Media literacy: Examine the poll in the infographic below. Then discuss — what information does this poll provide, and what important information does it leave out? What other questions would you like to ask poll respondents after seeing this poll?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Discuss two of the other polls included in this segment. What surprises you about either of them? What other questions would you like to ask the poll respondents?
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