FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Contact:
Tim Whitehouse (240) 247-0299 [email protected]
The 2026 Midterms and the Path Forward
Voters Demand Change and Accountability
Statement of Tim Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, on the 2026 midterm elections:
“Two years ago, I wrote that the election of Donald Trump had set our country down a perilous and unprecedented path. Yesterday, voters signaled that they want to change course.
“Democrats made significant gains across the country. Whatever one’s party, the message from voters was clear: they want accountability, a government that works, and real checks on power.
“The breadth of the wins in both national and state races makes it clear that people want real change. That is a hopeful sign for our democracy.
“The elections signal that hope is on the horizon. But we should be clear-eyed about what comes next.
“An administration that has spent two years consolidating power will not change course easily. We expect it to open new fronts in its authoritarian push. That may mean further defiance of Congress and the courts, deeper purges of the civil service, and new attempts to hand over public lands and resources to the powerful few.
“But the balance has shifted. The administration can no longer act without scrutiny and oversight.
“At PEER, we have learned something important — good government, protecting public employees, and a healthy environment are not separate causes. They are one fight. We cannot protect our air, water, wildlife, and public lands without a government that follows the law. And that government needs public servants who are free to do their jobs and tell the truth.
“A new Congress gives us an opening. PEER will use it. We will support oversight that exposes corruption and self-dealing. We will push for stronger whistleblower protections and a merit-based civil service. And we will put forward bold ideas and practical fixes that put people and the environment first.
“We will continue our current work at full speed. That includes defending public employees, bringing precedent-setting environmental and free-speech cases, and investigating the mismanagement of our public lands and resources.
“Our work will continue to be difficult. But for the first time in a while, the path forward is coming into view.“
###
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog supporting public employees who protect the environment. PEER defends whistleblowers, exposes corruption, and fights for transparency in government.