Several Pro-Hemp Politicians Elected In 2020 

Now that Election Day has passed, hemp industry leaders are assessing the results and predicting mostly business as usual for the industry, but find several bright spots that may help solidify the burgeoning industry moving forward.

Congress

• While Mitch McConnell has been a champion of the hemp industry, and, as Senate Majority Leader helped to pass both the 2014 and 2018 farm bills, industry leaders are confident that, should Chuck Schumer (D-NY) become the new Senate Majority Leader, he will also be an advocate for hemp.
• Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who helped author the hemp legalization provision in the 2018 Farm Bill and has continued to be a strong advocate for the industry, won reelection handily.
• Representatives Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), lead sponsors of H.R. 8179, which would legalize the production and sale of hemp-derived CBD in dietary supplements, both won their reelection bids.
• Pro-hemp Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who both wrote a strong letter to the DEA objecting to its recent interim final rule, also won reelection.
• While Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner lost his reelection bid, his opponent John Hickenlooper (D) has a long history of supporting the hemp industry. As governor of Colorado, Hickenlooper oversaw one of the first successful state hemp programs in the country.

The White House

The Presidential race has yet to be officially determined, but industry insiders are optimistic about hemp's future.

Geoff Whaling, chairman of the National Hemp Association and president of the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council, says President Donald Trump and his administration have been supportive of the hemp industry, and Whaling anticipates that will continue should he be reelected.

However, if Biden were to prevail, some observers believe this would help accelerate the hemp industry's growth.

A Biden administration "will probably have a bigger impact than any changes in Congress," by being more supportive of the industry, Patrick G. Martin, an attorney who directs the Midwest government relations and public advocacy efforts for Cozen O'Connor law firm, says.

"What we've seen since the farm bill passed is just a lot of delay," Martin adds. "I think there's hope among many in the industry that a Biden administration is going to be a little more favorable in getting this young and important industry up off the ground."