please explain this confusing sentence to me

Question

I am not very sure about what the following sentence means ,can you help me ?

But lawmakers on both sides pointed to an outpouring of opposition from deeply hostile constituents just five weeks before every seat in the House was up for election as a fundamental reason that the measure was defeated.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I am not very sure about what the following sentence means ,can you help me ?

But lawmakers on both sides pointed to an outpouring of opposition from deeply hostile constituents just five weeks before every seat in the House was up for election as a fundamental reason that the measure was defeated.

I guess the bold segment can be placed in the end. Am I right?

If every seat in the House is up for re-election, it means all the representatives have to go through the process of another election, in which they may be successful or may be defeated.

Here's the basic idea of the whole sentence.
The lawmakers begin to discuss a proposed new law.
Hostile constituents write/phone to show their opposition.
Tthe lawmakers vote. They vote against the new law because they know that there will be a general election in 5 weeks time. They don't want the hostile people to vote against them in the election.

With the phrase positioned where it is, it focuses on the idea that the outpouring of opposition was just 5 weeks before the election.

You could move the phrase to the end, but then it would focus on the idea that the measure was defeated just 5 weeks before the election.

Best wishes, Clive

Englishlearner2008 · Answer

thanks

please explain this confusing sentence to me

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬