At long last, the 2020 election is here. It has become a cliché to say that this is “the most important election of our lifetimes,” but it is undoubtedly true that this is the most consequential election for the travel center industry’s policy priorities in at least several decades.
The presidential election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will garner the most headlines, and rightfully so, but much of the action on Election Night will be in the down-ballot races. These races will decide which party controls the Senate, which ideological “wing” of the Democratic Party will control the House, and which parties will control state houses throughout the country. State houses are particularly important this year because legislatures in the coming two years will have the power to redraw state electoral maps now that the 2020 census is done. Who draws those maps will have a lasting impact on the federal power structure in the House of Representatives. There are also a number of important ballot initiatives in various states that we will be keeping an eye on as well.
Finally, more than any other year, this election could entail delays and/or ambiguities in the results of the election. Both the mechanics of varying state election laws and the greatly increased use of mail-in voting make it likely there will be no clear winner on November 4 and perhaps for many days thereafter.
We try and sort through all of these complexities for you. Here is what we will be watching for on Election Night 2020. Throughout the week, we will remain in close touch, providing updates as appropriate.