A LOOK BACK AT THE 2020 ELECTIONS AND A PREVIEW OF THE 117TH CONGRESS - DECEMBER 2020
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2020
ELECTIONS AND A PREVIEW
OF THE 117TH CONGRESS
DECEMBER 2020
Overview
M
ore than 161 million Americans voted in this year’s elections, the
highest turnout ever. Democrats have maintained control of the U.S.
House of Representatives and won the White House, with Joe Biden
being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January
20, 2021. Control of the U.S. Senate will be determined by the results of two Georgia
runoff races being held in January. Those election results will also determine whether
there will be a divided federal government or if Democrats will control Congress and
the White House.
This report provides a recap of the election results in the Senate, House, and
presidential election; House and Senate leadership of the 117th Congress; and the
expected leadership of the committees of interest to public power.
The Senate
WA
MT VT ME
ND
OR
MN
NH
ID SD NY
WI
WY MI
IA PA
NE MA
NV OH
IL IN
UT
WV RI
CA CO
VA
KS MO KY
CT
NC
TN NJ
AZ OK
NM AR SC
DE
AL GA-II
MS
GA-III MD
TX LA
AK
FL
HI
Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold No election
The Senate
New Senators at a Glance
Democrats
Pictured above, from left to right, Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
Republicans
Pictured above, from left to right, Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Tommy Tuberville
(R-AL)
Senate Democratic Leadership Senate Republican Leadership
l Chuck Schumer (D-NY) – Democratic Leader l Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – Republican Leader
l Dick Durbin (D-IL) – Democratic Whip l John Thune (R-SD) – Republican Whip
l Patty Murray (D-WA) – Assistant Leader l John Barrasso (R-WY) – Republican Conference Chair
l Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) – Chair of Democractic Policy l Roy Blunt (R-MO) – Republican Policy Committee Chair
and Communications Committee
l Joni Ernst (R-IA) – Republican Conference Vice Chair
l Joe Manchin (D-WV) – Vice Chair of Democractic Policy
l Rick Scott (R-FL) – Chair of National Republican
and Communications Committee
Senatorial Committee
l Cory Booker (D-NJ) – Vice Chair of Democractic Policy
and Communications Committee
l Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) – Vice Chair of the Conference
l Mark Warner (D-VA) – Vice Chair of the Conference
l Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – Chair of Steering Committee
l Bernie Sanders (D-VT) – Chair of Outreach
l Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) – Vice Chair of Outreach
l Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) – Conference Secretary
The Senate
Republicans defended 23 seats and Democrats defended Senate Commerce, Science,
12 seats this cycle. Incumbent Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), & Transportation Committee
Martha McSally (R-AZ), and Doug Jones (D-AL) lost reelection Public power issues under its jurisdiction: captive rail,
this November. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mike Enzi (R- communications (i.e., pole attachments and spectrum), drones,
WY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Tom Udall (D-NM) did not seek and grid security.
reelection in 2020. If Republicans maintain their majority, Senator Roger Wick-
Two Senate races in Georgia, in seats currently held by Repub- er (R-MS) will retain the chairmanship. Senator Maria Cantwell
lican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, will be decided in (D-WA) will remain the ranking member on the committee (or
a January runoff after no candidate secured the needed 50 percent become the chair if the Senate is controlled by Democrats).
of the vote threshold to win the seat outright. The top two finish-
ers advanced to the January runoff. Senator David Perdue is being Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
challenged by Democrat Jon Ossoff – Senator Perdue received Public power issues under its jurisdiction: reliability, Fed-
49.7 percent and Ossoff received 47.9 percent of the vote in the eral Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), transmission plan-
November general election. In the other Georgia race, Senator ning, grid security, Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs),
Kelly Loeffler is being challenged by Democrat Raphael Warnock hydropower, distributed energy resources, and interstate natural
– Senator Loeffler received 25.9 percent while Warnock received gas pipeline permitting.
32.9 percent of the vote in the November general election. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) has announced he will re-
The outcome of these two races will determine which party linquish his chairmanship of the Senate Environment & Public
controls the U.S. Senate. Works Committee to become the top Republican on the Senate
Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
is term-limited out as chairman and ranking member. Senator
Key Senate Committees — Joe Manchin (D-WV) will remain as the ranking member on the
Leadership and Agenda1 committee (or become the chair if Democrats win the majority).
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
and Forestry Committee Public power issues under its jurisdiction: Clean Air Act,
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: swaps and de- Clean Water Act, Environmental Protection Agency regulations,
rivatives regulation (Commodities Futures Trading Commission). Endangered Species Act, Nuclear Regulatory Commission/nuclear
Given Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) is retiring, Senator John issues, transportation issues, Resource Conservation and Recovery
Boozman (R-AR) will likely succeed him as the top Republican on Act, Water Resources Development Act, and Tennessee Valley
the committee. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will remain the Authority.
ranking member (or become chair if Democrats are in the majori- Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) will likely replace
ty in the 117th Congress). current Chair John Barrasso, who announced he will relinquish his
chairmanship of the committee to become the lead Republican on
Senate Appropriations Committee the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Senator Tom
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: annual spend- Carper (D-DE) will remain the ranking member on the committee
ing bills and appropriations bills for federal agencies. (or become chair if the Senate is controlled by Democrats).
If Republicans maintain their majority, Senator Richard Shelby
(R-AL) will remain the chairman and Senator Patrick Leahy
(D-VT) will remain the ranking member (or become chair if the
Senate is controlled by Democrats).
1 Senate Republicans and Democrats have not selected committee leadership
assignments yet.
The Senate
Senate Finance Committee Looking Ahead to 2021
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: tax-exempt fi-
nancing, tax reform, Build America Bonds (BABs), and renewable
(and Beyond)
energy tax credits. If Republicans hold a narrow majority in the Senate, they are
If Republicans remain in control of the Senate, Senator Mike likely to first consider bipartisan bills, focused on infrastructure
Crapo (R-ID) will likely replace current chairman Charles Grassley and economic stimulus. If Democrats gain control of the Sen-
(R-IA), who can no longer remain chairman due to term limits. ate, they could attempt to end the filibuster, which would have
Ron Wyden (D-OR) will remain ranking member. Should the wide-ranging implications on how the Senate operates. However,
Democrats win the majority, Senator Wyden would chair the the prospects of this are low.
committee. In 2022, Republicans will be defending 21 seats while Demo-
crats will be defending 13 seats. Republican Senators Pat Toomey
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental (R-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) have already announced they
Affairs Committee do not intend to seek reelection in 2022. Other incumbents, such
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: grid security, as Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), could also announce plans to
information sharing, and space weather. retire. Regardless of which party controls the Senate in the 117th
If Republicans retain their majority, Senator Ron Johnson Congress, there will be a fierce and expensive battle for control of
(R-WI) will remain chairman of the committee and Senator Gary the Senate in the 118th Congress.
Peters (D-MI) will remain the ranking member (or become chair if
Democrats are the majority in the 117th Congress).
U.S. House of Representatives
While Democrats have retained control of the U.S. House of Representatives,
Republicans have netted a gain of nine seats thus far in the 117th Congress.
Democrats have won 222 seats while Republicans have won 211 seats of the House
races that have been called by the Associated Press. Two seats have not been called
yet, including one in Iowa and one in New York.
U.S. House of Representatives
Democratic Leadership Key Committees in the
l Presumptive Speaker of the House – Nancy Pelosi (CA) House of Representatives –
(The full House will hold a floor vote in January to elect this
position.)
Leadership and Agenda
l Majority Leader – Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
House Agriculture Committee
l Majority Whip – Jim Clyburn (D-SC)
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: swaps and de-
l Assistant Speaker – Katherine Clark (D-MA) rivatives regulation (Commodities Futures Trading Commission).
l Democratic Caucus Chair – Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) David Scott (D-GA) will replace Collin Peterson (D-MN), who
l Democratic Caucus Vice Chair – Pete Aguilar (D-CA) lost his reelection, as chair of the committee. Glenn Thompson
(R-PA) will serve as the top Republican on the committee; current
l Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
Ranking Member Michael Conaway (R-TX) is retiring.
Chair –Tony Cárdenas (D-CA)
l Democratic Policy & Communications Committee Co-Chairs: House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee
Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Matt Cartwright Public power issues under its jurisdiction: Clean Air Act,
(D-PA), and Joe Neguse (D-CO) oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency, Nuclear Reg-
l Caucus Leadership Representative (Members serving five terms ulatory Commission/nuclear issues, communications (i.e., pole at-
or fewer) – Mondaire Jones (D-NY) tachments and spectrum), hydropower, Toxic Substances Control
Act, energy issues, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Republican Leadership Frank Pallone (D-NJ) will stay as chair of the committee. Greg
l Minority Leader – Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) Walden (R-OR), who serves as ranking member, is retiring. Cathy
l Minority Whip – Steve Scalise (R-LA) McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) will serve as the top Republican on the
committee.
l Conference Chair – Liz Cheney (R-WY)
l Conference Vice Chair – Mike Johnson (R-LA) House Natural Resources Committee
l Policy Committee Chair – Gary Palmer (R-AL) Public power issues under its jurisdiction: Power
l National Republican Congressional Committee Chair (NRCC) Marketing Administrations (PMAs), Endangered Species Act,
– Tom Emmer (R-MN) hydropower, and water.
Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) will remain the chair of the committee.
l Republican Conference Secretary – Richard Hudson (R-NC)
Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AK) will replace current
Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-UT), who is retiring from Con-
gress, as the top Republican on the committee.
House Ways & Means Committee
Public power issues under its jurisdiction: tax-exempt fi-
nancing, tax reform, Build America Bonds (BABs), and renewable
energy tax credits.
Richie Neal (D-MA) will remain the chair of the committee.
Kevin Brady (R-TX) will remain the ranking member.
U.S. House of Representatives
Looking Ahead to 2021
(and Beyond)
House Democrats may address several issues of importance to
public power, including COVID-relief legislation, infrastructure
(electric vehicles, clean energy, etc.), and tax policy (i.e., resto-
ration of advance refunding bonds, increasing the small-issuer
exception, and providing public power utilities with comparable
incentives). They will likely seek to move bipartisan bills that
could be considered in the Senate, including legislation to stimu-
late the economy.
House Democrats, who have a narrower majority, will be
focused on maintaining their majority in the 2022 elections. This
is because the party in control of the presidency has historically
lost seats in the midterm elections. Leadership roles among House
Democrats will also be a key area to watch as House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi has said she does not plan to remain Speaker beyond
2022.Presidential Election
WA
12
VT
MT 3 ME
ND
3 3
OR
MN
7
10 NH
ID SD NY 4
4 3 WI 29
WY 10 MI
3 16
IA PA
NE 20
6 MA-11
NV OH
6 IN 18
UT IL
11
6 20 WV RI-4
CO VA
CA 6 13
55 9 KS MO KY
6 10 CT-7
NC
TN 11 15 NJ-14
AZ OK
11 NM 7 AR SC
6 9 DE-3
AL GA
MS 16
6 MD-10
TX LA
30
DC-3
AK
3 FL
20
HI
4
Biden Winner Trump Winner
Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the Unit- Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be the first African
ed States on January 20, 2021. He defeated President Donald American and Asian-American woman to serve as vice president
J. Trump by a projected margin of 306 to 232 electoral votes, of the United States. If Democrats win both runoff races in Geor-
respectively (for comparison, President Trump defeated Democrat gia, she will be the deciding vote in the Senate and give Demo-
Hillary Clinton by the same margin in 2016). The race was called crats control of the chamber. California Governor Gavin Newsom
on November 7 after the Associated Press and other media outlets (D) will have to nominate a replacement for the Senate position
declared him the winner in Pennsylvania and Nevada. Joe Biden vacated by Vice President-elect Harris.
flipped Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska’s second congres-
sional district, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – parts of the nation
won by President Trump in 2016. At 78 years of age, Joe Biden is
the oldest president-elect ever.2451 Crystal Drive
Suite 1000
Arlington, Virginia 22202-4804
www.PublicPower.org
202.467.2900You can also read
