Shafaq News- Washington
Americans began voting on Tuesday in midterm elections widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term, with voters weighing high prices and a prolonged war with Iran as they decide control of Congress.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the Senate's 100 seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot. About 50 million Americans had already cast ballots in early voting before polls opened.
The first polling stations opened at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1000 GMT) in Vermont. Most states close between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, while Alaska, the last to close, will keep its polls open until 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday (06:00 GMT).
Democrats Eye The House
Democrats need a net gain of three seats to win the House and four to take the Senate. Most polls show them on course to capture the House, but the Senate is a tougher climb, as many of the most competitive races are in traditionally Republican states, according to the Associated Press. Democrats led Republicans by about nine percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of national generic-ballot surveys heading into Election Day.
Key Senate contests include Michigan, Texas, Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kansas and Alaska, where Democrat Mary Peltola is challenging Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Closely watched Senate contests include Michigan, Texas, Iowa, North Carolina, Kansas, South Carolina and Alaska, among others.
Republicans have sought to defy the historical pattern in which the president's party loses seats in midterms. Over the past year and a half, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee redrew their congressional maps to favor Republicans. California redrew its map in favor of Democrats, but not enough to offset the Republican gains.
Iran and Prices
The campaign has been dominated by the rising cost of living, including gas and grocery prices, alongside Trump's tariffs and the war with Iran, now in its ninth month. On the eve of the vote, Trump described the conflict as a "soft war" and insisted the United States "holds the cards," Fox News reported.
Trump has also continued to make false claims of widespread voter fraud, including that noncitizens are voting in large numbers, according to AP. A Democratic win in either chamber would give the party the power to block Trump's legislative agenda and launch investigations into his administration during his final two years in office.