NACS Head of Government Relations Explains Elections' Effect

By Andy Owen

On Tuesday, voters across the country expressed themselves at the polls. And while the results of a few races were still trickling in when this article went to press, the big picture was already clear: Democrats took control of Congress, and they took it decisively.

In this week’s special post-election episode of the Convenience Matters podcast, Doug Kantor, NACS’ senior vice president of government relations and general counsel, sat down with Jeff Lenard, vice president of NACS media and strategic communications, to offer his perspectives on the election and what it means for the convenience industry and your business.

A Shift in Control 

Midterm elections have a history of resulting in the sitting president’s party losing seats in Congress.

“The American electorate tends to swing back and forth like a pendulum, and this year it swung pretty hard in the Democrats' direction and away from Donald Trump and the Republicans,” said Kantor. “There's no doubt that theme is consistent throughout.”

The Democratic Party gained significant majorities in both the House and the Senate, with the GOP thereby losing its “trifecta,” or simultaneous control of the White House and both congressional chambers.

Democrats’ House leadership team will be new to running a majority party in January, and it is impossible to predict exactly how they will approach their jobs. But we do know that there will be new committee assignments throughout both chambers, and Democrats will occupy the chair and majority of seats on every committee.

“Part of our job at NACS in government relations is to build relationships with everyone,” said Kantor. “People going out, hopefully we're friends with. People coming in, hopefully we're friends with—and that certainly plays out this time.”

In many cases, NACS already has strong relationships with the members expected to take over as chairs.

How These Results Affect the Convenience Industry

It’s safe to assume that Democrats will make affordability and related issues a major part of their agenda. And with all 41 of the ballot measures on data center restrictions across the country passing last night, it’s a good bet that artificial intelligence will be near the top of Democrats’ list.

“Affordability is the biggest thing, and Democrats will be looking for ways they can use that,” said Kantor. “They'll be looking at how people price products. … [NACS] will be going on offense around the discounting that the industry does and the importance of discounts, and that, we think, has some potential to change the debate.”

Of course, fuel prices are also expected to be a hot topic of conversation, especially in the coming months and near the beginning of the next congressional session. NACS will continue its perennial work of educating lawmakers that 90% of cost is determined before retailers get possession of fuel.

What’s Next for the Lame Duck Congress

With limited time left for the current Congress to wrap up its priorities, there will be healthy debate as soon as both the House and Senate reconvene on Monday, November 9, for the lame-duck session.

“There are a lot of things on Congress' to-do list,” said Kantor. “You mentioned budget. … Spending bills—those need to get done. There's a highway bill, there's a farm bill, there's a defense bill, there's a permitting bill. The list is long. Every decision about that is being made as we speak. Folks are debating the merits of what they can try for and what they shouldn't try for.”

“When you have big spending bills—when you have pieces of legislation like that—there are opportunities,” Kantor added. “We're always looking for opportunities for credit card swipe fee legislation.”

What Retailers Can Do

Nearly one in five members of Congress will be new in January 2027. With so many fresh faces, we need the industry to engage in grassroots advocacy. The voices of business owners are always some of the most powerful voices in the room, and they will be essential in helping to educate the newest policymakers and build strategic relationships.

“The more we hear from members of the industry, the smarter and better off we are,” said Kantor.

To hear Kantor’s full analysis of the midterm results, tune in to our special post-election episode of the Convenience Matters podcast.