With record turnout expected and results guaranteed to be historic regardless of which party wins the White House, there is much at stake in the 2008 elections. If the pollsters are correct and Senator Barack Obama (IL-D) becomes the president-elect, it is likely that the Democrats also will control both houses of Congress, with a theoretically filibuster-proof super majority in the Senate. The last time Democrats held more than 60 seats in the Senate was in 1979.

According to polling data, Sen. Obama enjoys a slight lead among early voters. The record number of new voters, many of whom are under age 30 and minorities, is also expected to provide an advantage for the first-term senator. Both factors are expected to help elect Democratic candidates to the House and Senate and place many Republican incumbents in precarious positions.

For the dairy industry, this will mean getting to know a lot of new names and faces.

"While Democrats have been the majority in the Congress for two years now, they are expected to greatly expand their majority in both the House and Senate on Tuesday," said Jerry Slominski, senior vice president for legislative affairs and economic policy. "We'll have to work proactively early on to establish relationships with new members of the 111th Congress to ensure we're effective down the road."

A new administration will usher in a new Cabinet, with members heading departments that are key to the dairy industry, such as Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as appointees, such as the United States Trade Representative. In addition, the new administration will oversee many of the programs being implemented by the 2008 farm bill, current and future trade agreements, and other standing dairy policies.

IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton shared her views on what members can expect from the new administration in a recent Cheese Market News column, "Roller-Coaster Markets, Topsy-Turvy Politics: Scarier than Halloween."

For more information on the election, visit IDFA's comprehensive political involvement program, Dairy Counts, at www.dairycounts.org.