Narrow Biden Win
Scenario 2: Narrow Biden Win
Odds: High likelihood
- Biden wins
- Democrats hold White House
- Republicans hold the House, take the Senate
Key Characteristics
- White House besieged
- Legislative gridlock & focus on political battles / investigations of executives
- Potential for government shutdowns
- Opportunities for “good” private sector actors to set agendas
In this scenario...
Expect mountains of red tape attached to legislation proposed by either the Democratic or Republican parties, in addition to potential government shutdowns spurred by each party refusing to budge from their side of the aisle when debating policy. Don’t be surprised to see heated Congressional hearings with any attempt to appoint a Supreme Court justice in the event of a vacancy.
Although the Democrats would control the White House, losing Congress altogether would likely lessen Democratic ability to push through legislation that would impact businesses, aside from what had already been accomplished in Biden’s first term.
Scenario 2: Narrow Biden Win
Expected Impact
- Citizens may experience frustration or uncertainty based on slow moving policy decisions
- Congressional pushback on Biden-administration first term initiatives such as loan forgiveness or infrastructure investments
- Increased market volatility stemming from political uncertainty/polarization and potential foreign trade implications of a Democratic White House/Republican Congress scenario
Example Business Implications
- How will your business need to adjust to a slowdown of expected initiatives, such as those centered around clean energy, for example?
- Is your business and/or your target consumer prepared for the effects of economic uncertainty or volatility?
- What, if any, impact would consumer frustration around slow-moving policy decisions have on your messaging or communications strategy? How can you position your business as a champion of stability?