US Midterm Elections 2026: Americans vote in high-stakes referendum on Trump’s agenda - The News International
Polls have officially opened across the United States for high-stakes midterm elections that function as a crucial referendum on the administration's policy direction.
Voters are deciding the balance of power in Washington, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats on the ballot, alongside 36 gubernatorial races.
Republicans are defending narrow majorities in Congress, while Democrats aim to secure the net gains necessary to take control of at least one legislative chamber.
Turnout has been heavy, with more than 57 million Americans having already cast early or mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day.
Economic anxieties—particularly regarding inflation, consumer costs, and the impact of tariffs have with two years of his presidency remaining, Donald Trump, who has dominated American politics over the past decade and transformed it in remarkable ways, is facing potentially pivotal elections.
And the midterm elections on Tuesday that will decide control of Congress come at a difficult moment for his Republican Party.
Voters overwhelmingly say they are most concerned about the cost of living. Food and fuel prices have soared in part due to the president's aggressive tariffs and unpopular war with Iran, so it will be top of mind as many head to the polls.
As reported by BBC, Trump, who has faced record low approval ratings in recent months, has been campaigning hard, headlining dozens of rallies across the country.
Looking back at the midterms campaign, Trump said Republicans "gave this a very strong shot". dominated voter concerns, shaping a tense political backdrop as the final results begin to unfold.
But ahead of the vote, high prices are a concern for voters on all sides - which helps explain why he has been campaigning in previously safe Republican territory, appearing in Iowa and Kansas during a final weekend blitz.
His party has also poured hundreds of millions of dollars of campaign advertising into these traditionally safe contests, such as the Senate race in Kansas.
