Journalist Peter J. Boyer, an Ole Miss alumnus, assessed the upcoming midterm elections and the current political climate during a Friday morning event in the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics.
Boyer is a national correspondent for The Weekly Standard. Prior to joining The Standard, he spent four years as editor-at-large at Fox News and 18 years as a staff writer for The New Yorker.
Boyer joined Overby Fellow Curtis Wilkie onstage and weighed in on the midterm races underway in Mississippi, as well as other campaigns around the country leading up to Election Day on Nov. 6.
Much of the discussion on Friday pertained to the potential of a “blue wave” that would result in Democrats re-taking both houses of Congress. In Mississippi, both U.S. Senate seats are set to be filled.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith was appointed to her position by Gov. Phil Bryant in April after sitting senator Thad Cochran retired due to health concerns. This means that she will defend her seat from Mississippi State Sen. Chris McDaniel, former U.S. Sec. of Agriculture Mike Espy and Tobey Bartee in a special election.
Boyer was confident about the chances of Hyde-Smith retaining her seat.
“I think you all have had a few months to accustom yourself to the phrase ‘Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith,’ which is good because that is what we’ll be saying for the rest of my life,” Boyer said.
He turned his focus to the other senatorial race in the state between Republican incumbent Roger Wicker and Democratic challenger David Baria.
“The reason Democrats don’t elect folks from places like Mississippi is because if a place like Mississippi sends a Democrat to Washington, the way things currently are, they’re not allowed to represent Mississippi. They end up representing the National Democratic Party,” Boyer said.
One of the most publicized senatorial races is taking place in Texas between Beto O’Rourke and incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz. Boyer said it would be difficult for a candidate like O’Rourke to win in a state that is historically a Republican stronghold.
“Every so often, there will be a ‘great blue hope’ for senate or for governor in Texas,” Boyer said. “People in our business, who are almost uniformly liberal, get real excited about it and send reporters to rhapsodize about the candidate. Texas always ends up being Texas, and the Democrat ends up losing.”
Junior psychology major Robert Davis said he was more confident in O’Rourke’s chances.
“I’ve paid a lot of attention to the race in Texas. The odds are against O’Rourke, but I thought Boyer was too quick to write him off,” Davis said. “Cruz is kind of the poster boy for unlikable candidates, which I think will make this race closer than people think.”
While Boyer was skeptical about the odds for Senate Democrats in Mississippi and Texas, he said Democrats are in a good position to take back the House of Representatives.
“They are set up to take the House for every reason,” Boyer said. “As far as districting goes, they have a clear advantage over Republicans.”
Boyer brought up the future of Trump’s policies if Democrats are able to re-claim either the House or Senate.
“This president has a record for governance,” Boyer said. “He has taken the country in a starkly different direction in the last two years. If Democrats win, we have a whole different next two years and beyond.”
