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A Look Back at Midterm Elections and Presidential Legacies

USA.gov

The 2018 elections could see the highest turnout for a midterm since the mid-1960s.  Like today, the mid-1960’s was a time of cultural and social upheaval.

In this edition of "River to River," host Ben Kieffer helps listeners travel back to historic midterms in American history with guests Presidential historian Tim Walch and University of Iowa political scientist Cary Covington.

They discuss why midterms have come to represent a referendum on the sitting president, and how midterms have shaped US presidents and their legacies.

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Katherine Perkins is IPR's Program Director for News and Talk