Even as I write this, ballots are being cast across the country in the 2018 midterm elections. As they fall in the ballot box, they decide the fate of seats on the Senate, in the House, and governors the country over, as well as countless local races. One office not directly under contest is that of the Presidency. However, the threat of an oncoming wave of Democratic opposition wresting control of the Congress away from the Republican majority could generate a strong legislative check on President Trump.

Since the 2016 election and the events prior, President Trump has been at the epicenter of a litany of scandals and unhinged press conferences, in addition to constantly telling blatant untruths. Some examples of these are recent and fresh in our memories like limiting the scope of the FBI investigation into the sexual assault allegations surrounding Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, separating migrant families at the border, and even more recently claiming that he can amend the 14th amendment of the Constitution with an executive order. But let’s not forget some of the truly atrocious classics: The Access Hollywood “Grab them by the p***y” tape, his absolutely botched response to the hurricane in Puerto Rico, which killed over a thousand Americans (which he insisted was fake news), firing James Comey to attempt to stop an investigation into him, and I could really go on and on.

While President Trump maintains a strong base, this appalling array of behavior has solidified a portion of the country against him.

What remains to be seen, however, is how this behavior translates into the 2018 Midterm election.

This is the American people’s first chance to let their voices be heard en masse, and it serves as an opportunity to either empower the president to continue his current path with a Republican win, or to provide a strong check—and even the proposed threat of impeachment with a Democratic win. The election is all about Trump, but his name is nowhere on the ballot.

Make no mistake, this is not a Presidential election, but this is president Trump’s midterm examination, and through it we are going to get a very good idea of how the American public (or at least the voting population) feel about this controversial president.

The most interesting demographic to watch in this election will be the Independents. Independents are always an absolutely vital demographic to capture in order to win an election, and this one is no different. Republicans will likely vote Republican, Democrats will likely vote Democrat, but how Independent voters fall will be the true judge of this election.

That is what this election is in my eyes: a test of how well President Trump is doing with Independent voters.

I, myself, am a registered Independent, and it probably will not surprise you due to the tone of this article that President Trump has not passed his midterm examination in my eyes.

I think a strong check and at the very least the threat of impeachment is in order. The White House needs to be put on notice the circus that has become normalized is not okay in the eyes of Americans.