US Midterm Elections: Americans Vote as Trump Faces Key Test

Americans are voting today in the US midterm elections, a nationwide contest that will decide control of Congress for the last two years of Donald Trump’s second term. Polls opened first on the east coast on Tuesday, November 3. As of 6:30 PM PKT, voting is still under way, and no results have been declared.

Every seat in the House of Representatives is on the ballot. In addition, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 governorships are being contested. More than 57 million people had already voted early before polling day, according to Al Jazeera and AFP.

What is at stake in the US midterm elections

Republicans currently control both chambers. They hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats and the independents who sit with them hold 47. The Republican lead in the House is narrow, at about four seats.

For that reason, even a modest swing could change the balance of power. A Democratic House would be able to stall Trump’s legislative plans. It could also open investigations into his administration. Control of the Senate matters even more for appointments, because the Senate confirms judges, including Supreme Court justices, and senior officials.

Several forecasts favour the Democrats in the House. Decision Desk HQ’s final projection, reported by AFP, gave Democrats 241 House seats and a 52-48 Senate majority. However, forecasts are not results. Polls have also underestimated Trump’s support in past elections, a point the BBC stressed in its pre-vote analysis.

Prices and the Iran war shape the mood

Voters consistently name the cost of living as their main concern. Food and fuel prices have risen sharply this year. Analysts link this partly to Trump’s tariffs and partly to the war with Iran, which began in February.

The BBC reports that diesel, which cost $3.75 a gallon before the war, reached a record $6.52 in September. Meanwhile, inflation now stands at 3.7%, up from 3% at the start of Trump’s term.

As a result, Trump’s approval rating has fallen. Final polls cited by the BBC put it at around 38%, while AFP described it as hovering near the low 30s. Even so, the Democrats are not especially popular either. A national NBC poll found only 29% of voters view the party positively.

Republicans defend safe states

One clear sign of Republican worry is where the party is spending. Trump held rallies in Iowa and Kansas, which are normally safe Republican states, during the final weekend. His party has also poured large sums into advertising there.

Analysts are watching Senate contests in seven states: Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Maine, Alaska and North Carolina. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win the Senate. On the other hand, they must also defend Michigan. There, a former Democratic primary candidate, Haley Stevens, endorsed the Republican Mike Rogers instead of her party’s nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Republicans, for their part, say the president’s tax cuts and tougher immigration policy will help ordinary Americans. They have also portrayed many Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals.

Record spending and legal fights

This is also an expensive election. Political advertising has passed $11 billion, AFP reports. Elon Musk alone has put about $446 million into Republican efforts, according to the BBC.

Legal battles over the count have already begun. On Monday, the US Supreme Court rejected a Justice Department request to make California set aside about 20,000 mail-in ballots. The administration had claimed those voters might not be citizens. State officials said the government’s list was inaccurate, and two lower courts had already refused the request. Separately, a court ruled against a Justice Department bid that could have blocked certification of Alaska’s Senate result.

Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Democrats cheat in elections. Research shows voter fraud is extremely rare. Nevertheless, his claims have raised concern about whether every result will be accepted.

What happens next

Polls close at different times because each state sets its own voting hours. Early results from eastern states should start arriving in the early hours of Wednesday, Pakistan time. Close races, especially in states with heavy postal voting, may take days to call.

Meanwhile, Trump will watch the results at the White House. On Monday he suggested he could simply resist a Democratic Congress. “I veto everything,” he told a podcast, although he added that he might eventually make deals.

For Pakistan and the wider region, the outcome also matters. A weaker Trump at home could affect his choices on the Iran war, oil prices and trade. Global News 47 will update readers once results are confirmed.