The 2026 US midterm elections will mark a crucial crossroad for the country’s future political direction. With all seats in the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate up for election, the results might well change the balance of power in Congress and thereby influence the course of the remaining two years of the Trump presidency. What will the elections tell us about the state of American democracy, the country’s political divisions, and the priorities of the American electorate?

For observers in Europe the stakes extend beyond domestic American politics, as the election results may also have important implications for the future of the transatlantic partnership. What will the outcome mean for US-European relations, transatlantic security, and cooperation on shared challenges over the next two years?

To examine these and related questions, former Members of the US Congress Joe Cunningham, Democrat from South Carolina (2019-2021), and Tom Graves, Republican from Georgia (2010-2020), will join us for a panel discussion, to which you are cordially invited. Drawing on their experience in Congress and their competing political perspectives, they will share their insights into the election results and the consequences for American politics and the transatlantic relationship and look forward to your questions.

 

The Hon. Joe Cunningham (D-SC, 2019-2021) is a former U.S. Representative and political figure from South Carolina. His career in public service began when he was elected to represent South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in Congress – the first Democrat to win that district in almost 40 years. During his time in the House of Representatives, from 2019 until 2021, he served on the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and on Natural Resources. He was known for his advocacy on environmental issues, particularly offshore drilling, and his bipartisan approach to legislative work. Cunningham sought reelection in 2020 but was unsuccessful. He later ran for Governor of South Carolina in 2022 but was again defeated. Despite these setbacks, Cunningham remains an active voice in South Carolina’s political landscape. He practices law in Charleston. Before entering politics, Cunningham worked as an ocean engineer, lawyer, and business owner. He graduated from Lyon County High School in Eddyville, Kentucky, and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Atlantic University. He went on to pursue a law degree, receiving his J.D. from Northern Kentucky University in 2014.

The Hon. Tom Graves (R-GA, 2010-2020) served in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade, representing first Georgia’s 9th and later its 14th Congressional District. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee in the House, overseeing more than a trillion dollars of annual spending, he has an excellent understanding of the complexities of government funding, operations and the agencies at the forefront of change. As Vice Chairman of the Special Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, he led the effort to modernize one of the nation’s oldest institutions. While representing one of the most Republican districts in the country, he was also respected for his bipartisanship. Before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, Graves was a Member of the Georgia House of Representatives, a real estate investor, and a small business owner. He currently serves as a Member of the Board for Nuclear Matters and of the Former Members of Congress (FMC) and was formerly an ABC News Contributor. As a north Georgia country boy, his life has been fueled by one slogan his father shared with him: Dream Big, Work Hard, and Achieve Much.

Prof. Dr. Jasper Trautsch is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bonn. He previously worked at the University of Regensburg and the Humboldt University of Berlin. In 2014, Trautsch received a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service. He was awarded the Rolf-Kentner-Dissertation Prize for his outstanding outstanding dissertation in the field of American Studies, and he received a research fellowship of the “History of American Civilization” Program at Harvard University.

 

REGISTER HERE!

 

The event will be held in English.

Tickets are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of tickets that you will definitely use.

You do not need to print out your Eventbrite ticket. The name under which you reserved your tickets will suffice to enter.

This event is held in cooperation with the German Atlantic Association e.V., the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association Germany (YATA), the Bonn Academy for Researching and Teaching Politics (BAP), the North American Studies Program at the University of Bonn and the Association of Former Members of the U.S. Congress.