Olivia Rine, Staff Writer
The VCU College of Humanities and Sciences held the “What’s at Stake?” panel on Oct. 28 in preparation for the upcoming midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The panelists included Ambassador Anthony Godfrey, former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and assistant professors of political science Hollie Mann and Jatia Wrighten. The event gave each panelist the opportunity to highlight the topics that they felt were most important for voters to understand before Election Day.
Midterm elections are a way to understand who participates, and whose participation translates into political power, according to Wrighten. The more diverse voter turnout is, the more representative the government will be.
“The more descriptive our representatives are, the better legislation we get, the better constituents feel that they are actually representative in government,” Wrighten said. “It’s this idea that you can relate to someone that looks like you in office.”
Politicians use gendered imaging
Mann said she feels there is a trend of “toxic masculinity” throughout the government, including gender stereotypes from politicians that set back progressive political reforms.
“Candidates and parties are summoning certain ideas about masculinity and femininity to persuade voters,” Mann said.
Mann said that one of the ‘worst things’ to be in politics right now is a woman, or insufficiently masculine. She said that this is an issue that belongs to both parties.
“There are super PAC ads that are just weird, featuring a white voter named Mike, and Mike has a crazy ex-girlfriend. ‘The only people crazier than Mike’s ex-girlfriend are Democrats.’ That kind of thing is just weird,” Mann said.
Voters to decide on three constitutional amendments
Three constitutional amendments are on the ballot in several states, including Virginia, which would restore voting rights for people with felonies and protect reproductive freedom and same-sex marriage, according to Mann. The marriage equality amendment “would repeal our 2006 ban on same-sex marriage, which overfell rendered unenforceable in 2015,” Mann said.
Foreign policy issues could sway voters
Godfrey said that voters should consider foreign policy issues when filling out their ballots.
“Despite the administration’s efforts to distract people, voters are in the same direct correlation between the administration’s foreign policy choices and their high cost of living,” Godfrey said.
According to Godfrey, farmers cannot export their crops due to Canada’s counter tariffs in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. He explained that the northern states’ integration with Canada has led to economic pressure because of the current feuds between the U.S. and Canada.
Godfrey also said that the war in Iran’s impact on fuel prices has led to a shrinkage in voter support for Republican candidates.
“Some Democratic Candidates, especially in Michigan, insist that Americans’ support to Israel amounts to complicity in genocide,” Godfrey said.
Godfrey argued that citizens’ questioning of America’s Israel policies would no longer lead to a drop in fundraising or increase accusations of anti-semitism.
Congressional district and House of Representatives elections could lead to power imbalance
Bolling said that Virginia’s first, second and fifth district election results could impact the balance of power.
The first district race is between Republican incumbent Rob Whitman and Democratic challenger Shannon Taylor, according to Bolling. The first district leaned fairly Republican in the past, but Gov. Abigail Spanberger won it in 2025.
“That race is really going to depend on who goes out to vote early, who casts their absentee ballots, who shows up at polls on election day,” Bolling said.
The second district race is between Republican incumbent Jennifer Higgins and Democrat Elaine Luria, according to Bolling. Lucia is currently leading in the polls.
According to Bolling, the fifth district is a “very reliable Republican district.”
“If Republicans lose the fifth district, then you’re talking a big [blue] wave on Election Day,” Bolling said.