Trump faces crucial test amid low ratings, Democrats aim to flip Senate as US votes in midterm polls | DETAILS
Americans began voting on Tuesday in one of the most consequential elections in recent times, widely viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s presidency. The elections are taking place against the backdrop of a prolonged war in Iran, rising inflation, trade wars and deep divisions within American society.
The results will determine whether Trump’s Republican Party retains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the two chambers of the US Congress, or whether Democrats regain control of at least the House, as predicted by opinion polls. The outcome will shape the final two years of Trump’s second presidential term.
On the eve of the elections, the United States launched limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials said the strikes were carried out in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft.
What’s at stake in these polls?
The elections will determine the fate of all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 37 seats in the 100-member Senate. Gubernatorial elections are also being held in 36 states.
One of the closely watched gubernatorial contests is in Ohio, where Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy is facing Democratic nominee Amy Acton.
Several Indian-American candidates are also contesting elections for positions ranging from governor to city council member.
Democrat Nithya Raman, who was born in Kerala, is locked in a competitive contest against her former boss, Karen Bass, for the mayoral position in Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the United States.
Indian-American lawmakers Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal and Suhas Subramanyam are seeking re-election to the US House of Representatives. Meanwhile, fellow Democrats Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah are contesting competitive races in an effort to enter Congress for the first time.
What US midterms mean for Trump
On Monday, Republicans and Democrats made their final appeals to voters ahead of polling. Trump chose an unusual venue, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, to highlight renovations undertaken in the national capital rather than focusing on tax cuts, tariffs and border security, which have featured prominently in his election rallies.
According to the White House, Trump travelled across 20 states, mostly Republican strongholds, and addressed 30 rallies during the last 32 days of campaigning.
Political analysts say Trump’s approval ratings are at an all-time low and that he has become a liability for Republican candidates.
If Democrats regain control of Congress, they could intensify congressional scrutiny of Trump’s actions and significantly limit his ability to advance his political agenda. However, he would retain the power to govern through executive orders, which would remain valid for two years.
“We are reaching a boiling point in the country as a whole. There are the elites, the ruling class, the Epstein class that is truly 1 per cent that is wealthy, and there is the rest of us,” Shuchita Patel, a Democrat running for Forsyth County Commissioner, told PTI.
Trump acknowledged the possibility of losing Republican control of Congress but indicated that he would not allow lawmakers to slow his administration.
“I guess I’ll become Mr Veto,” Trump told the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast when asked about the possibility of Republicans losing control of both chambers of Congress, referring to his presidential power to veto congressional actions.
Democrats aim to flip 7 Senate seats
Democrats are hoping to gain control of the Senate by flipping seven seats in Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Alaska.
Each of the 50 US states is represented by two senators who serve six-year terms. Senate elections are staggered across three groups, meaning elections take place every two years.
Members of the House of Representatives, meanwhile, are elected for two-year terms.
Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, although their majorities are narrow.
In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson leads 218 Republicans and one independent, Kevin Kiley of California, against 214 Democrats, with two seats vacant.
The Senate is divided 53-47 in favour of Republicans. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber.
Of the 35 Senate seats on the ballot, 22 are currently held by Republicans.
JD Vance campaigns as potential Trump successor
The midterm elections are also significant for Vice President JD Vance, who is building his political credentials as a potential successor to Trump.
Vance made campaign stops in New York and Ohio on Monday, where Republicans are fighting to retain House and Senate seats.
He highlighted Trump’s efforts to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime and strengthen border security, while describing Democrats as “lunatics” who hold American voters in contempt.
Over 210 million registered voters
According to USAFacts, approximately 210 million Americans are registered to vote.
California has the highest number of registered voters, with 23.2 million, followed by Texas with 17.4 million and Florida with 13.6 million. Together, these three states account for approximately 26 per cent of all registered voters.
Wyoming has the fewest registered voters, at 278,468, followed by Vermont with 459,455 and Alaska with 603,310.
According to the Associated Press, more than 57 million ballots had been cast across 47 states and Washington, DC, as of Monday. This compares with slightly fewer than 44.5 million ballots cast across 49 states and Washington, DC, at the same stage in 2022.
The election outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications for Trump’s presidency, congressional oversight and the country’s political direction during the final two years of his second term.
With inputs from AP, PTI
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