Madeleine Dean, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, describes herself as a “big hugger.” But there is no hugging or handshaking with Dean this year as she seeks to keep her House seat. Her political campaign is largely online to protect against the health risks of COVID-19. The Democratic Party is supporting Dean’s candidacy. She represents an area north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the state of Iowa, Senator Joni Ernst is doing things differently. She just completed a political campaign trip to 99 counties across her state. Most of the time she wore a face covering, but not all of the time. Ernst, a Republican, spoke to medium-sized groups. At one point she and supporters gathered next to each other to take a picture. “Even in these challenging times, it’s my job to show up and hear directly from all Iowans,” Ernst said in a video message after finishing her trip. The two lawmakers show the different methods of campaigning that are appearing in a pandemic election year. Candidates are hoping to win over voters in races that will decide control of Congress. Republicans are defending a narrow three-seat majority in the Senate. Democrats want to hold onto or expand their majority in the House.
