Higher Ed Issues Take Center Stage in Midterms
The Chronicle has launched a live blog tracking how higher education policy figures into the 2026 midterm elections.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Elections
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The Chronicle has launched a live blog following higher education issues in the 2026 midterm elections. The coverage comes after two years of higher education policy reforms pursued by the Trump administration and state lawmakers following Donald Trump's 2024 election as president.
Why it matters
Shifts in congressional power would bring changes to committee leadership and investigatory priorities that could shape federal oversight of colleges and universities. Higher education's emergence as a dividing line among voters, with the degree divide a strong predictor of partisanship, signals its growing weight in national campaigns.
The live blog tracks higher education issues across the 2026 midterm races, but no vote tallies or polling percentages are provided in the source material. President Trump's approval rating is described as declining, and Democratic prospects are reported as stronger than expected in many congressional and state races, though exact figures are unavailable.
The players
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the 47th president of the United States, whose administration pursued higher education policy reforms and whose approval rating is now in decline.
Amir Makled
Amir Makled is a Democratic candidate running for the University of Michigan Board of Regents in the 2026 midterm elections.
The details
Several Republican governors spearheaded overhauls of higher education in their states during the two years following Trump's election. Democrat Amir Makled is running for a seat on the University of Michigan Board of Regents, one of the races the live blog is following.
Timeline
2024: Donald Trump is elected president, beginning two years of higher education reform efforts.
2026 midterms: The Chronicle's live blog tracks higher education impact across the midterm elections.
Roadmap
Higher education policy has become a central thread of the 2026 midterms, following two years of reforms launched after Donald Trump's 2024 election. Those reforms now face voter judgment as Democratic prospects appear stronger than expected in many races.
Voters weighing higher education issues in the 2026 midterms may see the policy debate reflected in congressional and state races. Readers following local university governance, such as Board of Regents contests, can track candidate positions as the election approaches.
The takeaway
Higher education is emerging as a clear dividing line in American politics, with the degree divide now a strong predictor of partisanship. Voters paying attention to campus policy may find it useful to look beyond national headlines to statewide and board-level races.
Further reading
Follow more coverage in the Elections section for context on how these midterm races are unfolding nationwide.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CHE.
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