Washington, November 3,2026: Americans headed to the polls on Tuesday in crucial midterm elections, with Democrats seeking to take control of Congress and establish significant checks on President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
Opinion polls have indicated that Democrats could regain control of the House of Representatives and potentially secure a majority in the Senate, amid growing voter dissatisfaction over rising living costs, energy prices and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
A Republican defeat in the House would give Democrats the authority to obstruct Trump’s legislative agenda and launch investigations into his administration. Losing the Senate could also complicate the president’s efforts to secure confirmation of Supreme Court justices and senior government appointments.
The elections are widely viewed as a nationwide assessment of Trump’s presidency, with Republicans facing mounting criticism over economic conditions and the country’s involvement in the Middle East conflict.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested, alongside gubernatorial elections in 36 states. Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the House and four in the Senate to take control of both chambers.
Trump returned to the White House last year promising to reduce living costs. However, inflation, tariffs and rising fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict have added to financial pressures on American households. His approval rating has remained around the low 30s.
In the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, retired teacher Jane Callum, 77, was among Democratic campaigners canvassing for Senator Jon Ossoff, describing the election as a defining moment for the country’s future.
“I really feel an obligation to do everything that I possibly can to change the direction that our country is going in now, and put it more on the path to democracy and away from autocracy,” she told AFP.
Republicans have defended Trump’s tax cuts and immigration crackdown, arguing that the policies will benefit Americans, while portraying Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals.
However, during his final public campaign appearance on Monday, Trump devoted much of his speech to discussing the troubled renovation of Washington’s Reflecting Pool, with relatively little attention to economic issues.
“This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime,” he said before returning to the renovation project.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticised Trump’s closing campaign message, describing it as “pathetic”.
Some Republican supporters, however, remained confident of victory. Texas military veteran Yvonne Clouser told AFP: “We’re going to win. As a matter of fact, we’ve probably already won.”
Although Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Democrats are competing in several traditionally conservative states, including Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska.
Democrats are also defending competitive seats, including in Michigan, where an internal party dispute saw Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorse Republican candidate Mike Rogers instead of the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
Decision Desk HQ’s final forecast projected Democrats winning 241 House seats against 194 for Republicans, while its Senate forecast indicated a narrower 52-48 Democratic majority.
The possibility of disputed results has also emerged as a major concern ahead of the vote count. Polls can underestimate support for a party, and Republicans are hoping for strong turnout among their supporters.
More than 57 million Americans had already cast early ballots before Tuesday, reflecting substantial voter participation.
The campaign has attracted more than $11 billion in political advertising, while billionaire Elon Musk, a prominent Trump ally, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Republican political efforts.
Concerns over the acceptance of election results have also intensified amid Trump’s repeated claims of widespread voter fraud, allegations he has made against Democrats without presenting evidence.
The Justice Department has already filed a lawsuit seeking to potentially block certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses. A court rejected the effort on the eve of the election.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday rejected an emergency request seeking to require California to set aside mail-in ballots cast by more than 20,000 people on the grounds that they might not be US citizens.
Trump, who was expected to follow the election results from the White House on Tuesday night, indicated that he would take a confrontational approach if Republicans lost control of Congress.
“I veto everything,” he told a podcast on Monday, although he added that he might eventually reach agreements with Democrats.
