As of the time I’m writing this, the presidential election is shaping up to be very close. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama haven’t been more than three points away from each other in the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll since late April and have constantly been trading the lead. Most days they’re only one or two percentage points away from each other, and neither Romney nor Obama show any signs of pulling away any time soon.

Despite what has been on all accounts a pretty terrible month for Obama, Romney still can’t get a significant lead. Early on in the month of June, Obama’s union allies suffered a big loss in Wisconsin when Scott Walker became the first governor ever to survive a recall vote. Just before that, we got news that the economy took a downturn in the month of May, failing to add jobs at a rate keeping up with population growth. Following that news, his commerce secretary had to resign following two car accidents in one day, one of which is being investigated as a felony hit and run. His Attorney General Eric Holder, after constant stonewalling regarding the horrific gun-walking scandal that sold drugs to Mexican drug cartels and resulted in the death of hundreds of people including two U.S. Border Patrol Agents, is being brought up on contempt of congress, for which there will be a vote the last week of June, which is expected to pass. And finally, the Supreme Court will hand down several important decisions within the next few days, including high profile battles on health care and Arizona’s immigration law. Now it is entirely likely that by the end of the summer all of these issues will be resolved, and politically the effects of them will be realized. I cannot predict the future, but I am going to try. Here goes.

Republicans will use the commerce secretary appointment hearings to have in depth conversations about the effects of Obama’s economic and regulatory polices, while ultimately letting the new commerce secretary be confirmed.

Eric Holder, facing indictment from a Grand Jury, will step down as attorney general. Republicans will hold up confirmation of his replacement until after the election.

The economy will continue to stumble along its haphazard recovery with mediocre growth and little progress.

Mitt Romney will use this to his advantage  and pick a running mate who underscores the focus on the economy, such as Paul Ryan, Bobby Jindal or Rob Portman.

I’d make a prediction on the outcomes of the two major supreme court cases but in the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Those who know, don’t talk; and those who talk don’t know.”

Any attempt at forecasting on my part would be pure folly, and be much more a case of my own hopes and dreams than genuine foresight.

For all of you politically minded incoming freshmen, there will be plenty of events on campus, as well as chances for active participation as College Democrats and College Republicans both hold debates, election-centric parties and events, go on district walks with local politicians and hold voter registration drives as well.

With an election doomed to be as close as this one is, I personally look forward to a vigorous and exciting fall campaign.

Keene is a freshman majoring in political science.