Both the Republican and Democratic parties are facing a closely contested race for control of the United States Congress Tuesday as voting gets underway in the country’s midterm elections.
Now halfway through Republican President Donald Trump’s second term, these midterms are a litmus test of how Americans view his administration’s performance thus far and will influence both parties’ strategies ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
This year’s voting covers 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives, with three vacancies. Democrats need a net gain of four additional seats in the Senate and 218 total seats in the House to claim majorities.
This year’s key Senate races are Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Alaska, Iowa, Maine and Kansas, where results could determine which party controls the upper chamber.
If Democrats regain control of either the Senate or the House, they could launch investigations into the Trump administration’s policies, like the series of global tariffs or Iran war, although Trump would retain his presidential powers and veto authority.
The Senate also wields constitutional powers the House does not, including confirming presidential nominations for senior government positions and federal judgeships, as well as approving international treaties by a two-thirds majority of senators present.
In addition to electing members of Congress, voters in 36 states will choose their governors. Elections will also be held for state legislatures and other state and municipal offices, alongside referendums in some areas, to determine local policy priorities including taxes, public spending, education, healthcare and immigration.
Early voting could prove decisive. According to data from state election offices, as of Nov. 2 approximately 50.8 million Americans had voted early, either in person or by mail, across 47 states that reported figures, an increase of nearly 13% compared with the same period before the 2022 midterms.
The Associated Press cited available data from some states showing Democrats leading, though those figures do not necessarily reflect final votes.
Adapted and Translated from the original Arabic.
