Split-ticket voters play outsized role in critical midterm contests

Voters split their tickets — supporting a Democrat in one race and a Republican in another — in some of the most important states in this year's midterms.

Why it matters: Even in a hyper-partisan era, the quality of individual candidates clearly still matters — maybe even enough to tip the balance of power in the Senate.

"Both parties and the media love polarization porn, but normal voters know the electorate is volatile and ticket-splitters are common," said Liam Kerr, the co-founder of WelcomePAC, which tried to gin up Republican votes...