Following the recent midterm elections, Democrats are reportedly considering significant changes to the U.S. electoral system, including the potential abolition of the Electoral College. George Washington University law professor and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley suggests that these efforts could be aimed at consolidating power and ensuring future Democratic victories.
Turley notes that the midterm losses for Republicans were modest compared to historical precedents, and argues that Democrats are not waiting to see if the shift in power is temporary. Instead, they are purportedly seeking to implement "radical changes" to secure long-term control. Among these proposed changes are the elimination of the Electoral College, which Turley believes would increase the influence of high-population states like California and New York. He also references proposals to kill the legislative filibuster, add new states such as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices.
According to Turley, these proposals align with a broader movement advocating for more direct democratic power, drawing parallels to the Jacobins during the French Revolution. He highlights that while professors and pundits have discussed such radical systemic changes for years, they require a president willing to enact them. The recent election of new Democratic governors is seen by some Democrats as providing sufficient state-level support for initiatives like the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This compact would bind states to award their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote.
Turley expresses concern over the constitutionality of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, suggesting that it may circumvent the Article V amendment process and upset the balance of powers established by the Framers. He argues that the Electoral College was designed to protect smaller states from being dominated by larger ones and to ensure that minority political populations have a voice. While acknowledging past reservations about the Electoral College, Turley states that the current push for direct democratic reforms reinforces his belief in its importance as a limitation on majoritarian abuse. He warns that abandoning constitutional values and institutions in favor of more direct democracy risks destabilizing the republic, comparing the current situation to the "mobocracy" the Framers sought to avoid.
Turley's new book, "Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution," explores these themes of revolution and systemic change in both historical and contemporary contexts. The book was published on February 3, 2026.