Decoding the Midterms

This event takes place virtually and in-person at:
The National Union Building
918 F St. NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20004

The 2026 midterms will be among the most consequential in living memory, and the Brennan Center is already preparing for what’s next. Just days after polls close, we will host two conversations on what the electorate actually said and how those answers will influence lawmaking over the next two years.

The first panel will break down everything we learned from voters on Election Day. We’ll identify the key results and the major trends in the electorate. Was this a referendum on the party in power, a reaction to the economy and world events, or something more complicated?

The second panel will look ahead to the new Congress and ask what can get done in light of the results. What will new and returning leaders prioritize? Which issues could produce unlikely compromises, and which are headed for gridlock? We’ll examine the effect on spending, regulation, oversight, and the broader policy agenda for the second half of this presidential administration. 

Join us at the National Union Building or virtually on Monday, November 9, at 2 p.m. ET as experts explore what happened on Election Day and what comes next. The panels will be followed by a reception.

Produced in partnership with the NYU Brademas Center’s Inside American Politics, series, which fosters bipartisan dialogue on the forces shaping American democracy and governance
 

2–2:15 p.m. Welcome Remarks

• Kareem Crayton, Brennan Center for Justice

2:15–3:30 p.m. Lessons from the 2026 Midterms

Speakers:

• Sekou Franklin, Fisk University
• Keesha Middlemass, Howard University and Brookings Institution
• Peter Miller, Brennan Center for Justice
• Kevin T. Morris, Brennan Center for Justice
• Moderator: Liz Howard, Brennan Center for Justice

3:30–3:45 p.m. Break

3:45–4:45 p.m. Forecasts for the 120th Congress and Beyond

Introduction

• Daniel I. Weiner, Brennan Center for Justice

Speakers:

• Yamiche Alcindor, NBC News
• Kyle Whitmire, AL.com
• Moderator: Kareem Crayton

4:45–4:55 p.m. Concluding Remarks

• Kareem Crayton

4:55–6 p.m. Reception