For your last reflection of the semester: Pick ONE U.S. poli…
For your last reflection of the semester: Pick ONE U.S. political party (either the Republican party or the Democratic party). Based on what you’ve learned in this course (as well as the materials for the week), write an essay in which you identify and explain the 3 biggest challenges facing the party in the upcoming 2026 elections. In this effort, you are asked to evaluate these problems as a researcher and a scholar – not as a pundit. Your introduction should begin with an overview of the party you’ve chosen and the environment they face in the 2026 elections. Your introduction must conclude with a thesis statement should read: “The three biggest challenges facing the ____________ party in the November 2026 election cycle are problem 1, problem 2, and problem 3.” Then, each body paragraph will begin with a topic sentence that restates the challenge for the party. Within each body paragraph (i.e., for each challenge), you are expected to address: (a) Why is it a challenge for the party (b) Where did the challenge come from (why does it exist?) (c) What is the impact on candidates? (d) What is the impact on voters? (e) What is the impact on election outcomes? For instance, if you’re going to say ‘non-competitive districts’ pose a significant challenge to Party Z, then you must explain why non-competitive districts are a challenge, how noncompetitive districts came to be, how they impact the candidates, how they impact voters, and how they influence election outcomes. You may use the internet to find sources. Any sources you reference must be cited, parenthetically, in your paper and identified in a bibliography at the end of your essay. **The use of AI is strictly prohibited** Remember that you CAN have more than 5 paragraphs total, and you are allowed to have more than one body paragraph devoted to a single challenge. Just make sure you are using topic sentences and segues to help your reader follow along. Remember to cite the weekly readings as well as any external sources you use.
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