In 2018, even the smallest shake-up to any single Senate race could be the difference in determining which party holds majority control come January 2019. And President Donald Trump’s agenda hangs in the balance. A Republican Senate could repeal Obamacare, secure funding for a border wall and undo hundreds of environmental regulations. A Democratic Senate, on the other hand, could spend 2019 ensuring that Trump is a one-term president.

The road out of Congress may feel different for every member, but as former Rep. Tom Petri candidly put it, there aren’t too many ways to make an exit. “One is die, another is being defeated and then a third is retiring, and I thought that seemed like the best of the alternatives,” the Wisconsin Republican says.

Following Republican Roy Moore's historic upset defeat in Alabama, Democrats are giddy at the prospect of stealing another seat in a GOP stronghold. Meet Kelli Ward, a conservative former state senator running for the Republican nomination in the 2018 Arizona Senate race to replace the retiring Senator Jeff Flake, a seat the GOP once considered safe.

After spending 2017 under the radar, former President Barack Obama has an ambitious 2018 ahead, planning to traverse the country in support of Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. But don't call it a comeback, because Obama knows it's no longer his turn. He's passing the baton. "President Obama wants to help Democrats win," Eric Schultz, senior adviser to Obama and former White House principal deputy press secretary, told Newsweek. "But he also knows the best way to rebuild the Democratic Party is to help support the next generation of leaders."

Thirty-sev​en days after win​ning the pres​id​ency, Bill Clin​ton an​nounced his intention to nom​in​ate Lloyd Bent​sen as his Treas​ury sec​ret​ary. It was his first Cabinet an​nounce​ment. In 2008, Pres​id​ent Obama worked quite a bit quick​er, announcing eight of his 15 Cab​in​et nom​in​a​tions in the same time frame. But even he couldn’t match the speed at which Donald Trump has unveiled his nominees.

President Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey has spawned comparisons to Watergate and renewed whispers about impeachment proceedings. It’s also led to bipartisan calls for an independent investigation, led by a special counsel, into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as well as ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow. But much to the chagrin of the loudest voices, the process is none too simple. After the Watergate scandal and through President Clinton’s numerous legal difficulties, clear legislation governed the appointment of special prosecutors. Yet since 1999, none exists.