Midterm Elections Reflect Polarized Politics, NAIFA Members Told

WASHINGTON - As the various states’ primary elections get crossed off the spring calendar, attention is turning to the midterm Congressional elections in November. And the 2018 midterms stand out for a number of reasons, National Journal’s political editor Josh Kraushaar said Tuesday.

Kraushaar was among those who helped set the stage for the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ annual visits with members of Congress during this week’s Congressional Conference. More than 850 members participated, which NAIFA officials said was a record for this event.

“Everything in politics this year is about Trump and not about policy,” Kraushaar told attendees. “The fact that we’re so polarized politically means our policy is polarized, too.”

The election of Donald Trump as president in 2016 “awoke a sleeping giant among Democrats,” Kraushaar said. Looking at the 2018 midterms, Kraushaar said the more than 40 House Republicans who are retiring this year present a number of opportunities for inexperienced candidates.

“This year, the ideal candidate is the one who has no political experience,” he said.

In addition to no political experience being viewed as a plus by the voters, 2018 stands out as “the year of the woman,” Kraushaar said, with a majority of the women running for office this year never having run previously.

He predicted the GOP may pick up two seats in the Senate, with “it looking encouraging” that control of the House of Representatives will go to the Democrats.

The 2018 elections build on the upheaval of the political world that was made evident in the Trump/Hillary Clinton mashup in the 2016 presidential election, Kraushaar said.

“In 2016, the Democrats and Hillary made gains in suburbia while voters in traditionally Democratic cities like Scranton, Pa., went for Trump,” he said. “As a result, today the ideal voter for the House is a suburban soccer mom from outside of Philadelphia while the ideal voter for the Senate is a working-class miner in West Virginia.”

During their Congressional visits Tuesday, NAIFA members will encourage their representatives and senators to join the Financial Security and Life Insurance Caucus, while thanking those who are already members.  The bipartisan caucus was founded in 2015 to educate lawmakers about the ongoing need for public policy that encourages Americans to save more, plan ahead, and protect their financial and retirement security.

In the meetings, NAIFA is also asking members of Congress to support the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018. This bill would make it easier for small employers to provide their employees with retirement plan benefits and would provide tools to allow workers to better understand how much monthly income their savings is likely to yield in retirement.

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @INNsusan.

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Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected].