Polling enters the final hours as Americans vote in midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the final two years of US president Donald Trump’s term.The elections will offer the first nationwide verdict on Trump’s second presidency, testing whether voters want to limit his power by handing Democrats control of one or both chambers of Congress, or keep Republicans in charge amid concerns over the cost of living and the US-led war with Iran.The results could also shape debates within both parties over the policies and messages that resonate with voters ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
CNN Voter Poll: 71% says Congress is not doing enough to check president
Around 7 in 10 voters say that Congress is not doing enough to provide checks and balances on the presidency, CNN poll revealed.
First polls close
The first cluster of polling centers officially closed their doors at 6 p.m. ET in Kentucky and Indiana. Now it’s time for exit poll results.
US Midterm Election Results 2026
Trump says he’s watching pre-election results
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was watching “pre-election” results on Fox News. He did not weigh in on the status of the election, but did complain about the voice of one of the network’s hosts. “Watching the Pre-Election Results on FoxNews, but I can’t stand Jessica Tarlov’s voice — DUMB AS A ROCK, but it’s the voice that gets me. Have to go somewhere else until that LOSER is off the air — I’ll be back later! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.
Midterm results: What 6 major forecasters predicted
Cook Political Report puts 11 Senate seats in the Solid or Likely Democratic categories, and 13 in the Solid or Likely Republican columns.Minnesota and New Hampshire are likely Democratic, while Nebraska and South Carolina are classified as Lean Republican.Races in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas are classified as toss-ups.In the House, 204 seats are considered to be Likely or Safe Democratic, while 178 are Likely or Safe Republican. Eighteen seats are Lean Democratic, while 17 are Lean Republican.Eighteen races are in the toss-up category.Sabato’s Crystal BallThe forecaster gave Democrats an edge to hold the Michigan Senate seat and favors them to flip Alaska, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. It considers the races in Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska and South Carolina as Leans Republican.On the House side, Sabato’s Crystal Ball predicts that Democrats will wind up with 239 seats and Republicans 196.Silver BulletinNate Silver gave an edge in Senate to Democrats in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, while pointing to very close races in Louisiana, Nebraska and South Carolina. Silver wrote in a post on X early Tuesday that it is “hard to align any signals that suggest a good GOP year.”The EconomistThe latest Senate forecast in The Economist predicted that Democrats would hold 51 seats. Democrats won the House in 93 percent of their simulations, with the median giving Democrats a 33-seat majority. They forecast that Democrats would hold 235 seats and Republicans 200 seats in the next Congress.Decision Desk HQDecision Desk HQ gave Democrats a 65 percent chance of winning the Senate, and Republicans a 35 percent chance, ahead of Election Day.270toWin ConsensusThe 270toWin Consensus, which aggregates several forecasters, had three states—Alaska, Michigan and Minnesota—in the Leans Democratic category in the Senate, with only South Carolina as Leans Republican. Five races—Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas—were considered to be toss-ups in that map.It favored Democrats to flip the House, giving them an edge in 220 seats to the Republicans’ 196 seats, with 19 toss-up races.
Democrat odds to control the Senate via Kalshi
Texas: Talarico says he wants to help fulfill some MAGA promises
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Texas said he wants to work with Trump on a wide range of issues.“I would love, as the next U.S. senator from Texas, to work with Donald Trump to actually fulfill some of the promise of his political project,” Talarico told Steve Bartlett, the host of “The Diary of a CEO” podcast.“The promise of MAGA was that we were going to transform this government so that it delivered for the people who have been left behind, the people who have been forgotten in this country. And there’s still time to do that,” Talarico continued.
Gavin Newsom vs ICE
ICE issued a warning on non-citizens voting illegally. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a counter-warning to ICE. “If you vote illegally, we will find you. We will track you down, arrest you, and prosecute you,” ICE said.“If YOU show up to the polls illegally, we will find you. We will track you down, arrest you, and prosecute you. There will be no escape,” Newsom said to ICE.
Trump celebrates Republican gains in Guam
US President Donald Trump has welcomed a Republican breakthrough in Guam’s gubernatorial election, congratulating Republican candidate Tony Ada and suggesting the result could signal wider gains for his party in the November 3 US midterm elections. “Guam, which has always been considered strongly Democrat, just had an early call for a REPUBLICAN Victory in the top spot, Governor — Congratulations to Tony Ada!” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Bomb threat reported at Toledo polling station in school: NBC News
A bomb threat was reported at a polling station set up in an elementary school in Toledo this morning, NBC News reportedThe Toledo Police Department said officers responded to a reported bomb threat at a polling station at Beverley Elementary just before 10.30 a.m. local time. A second threat was reported minutes later at around 10:39 a.m. at a location where a teacher’s workday was taking place. Both locations evacuated as a safety precaution, they said.Police said the Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad was notified, and they asked bomb detection K-9s to check both locations. It was not known whether the two threats were connected.Meanwhile, threats were also reported at two schools in nearby Bowling Green, where the city school district said two schools had received “threatening calls” this morning. Students and staff were evacuated from both facilities, they said, adding that authorities believed the calls were potential swatting incidents — hoax emergency calls made to draw a large police response to a particular location.
Haley Stevens’ fiancé denies influencing her decision to endorse Trump-backed Republican
Jason Turkish, fiancé of Democratic Rep Haley Stevens, has pushed back against allegations that he pressured her into endorsing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race. Turkish, a disability rights lawyer and Democratic donor, made late-night calls to defend himself after Stevens’ former allies raised concerns about his influence over the congresswoman.Former Michigan governor Jim Blanchard claimed Turkish was unhappy with Stevens’ support for El-Sayed and appeared to be persuading her to change her position during a dinner on Friday. Turkish disputed Blanchard’s account, saying he had never met him privately before the gathering and had not realised it would become a media event.University of Michigan regent Jordan Acker also raised concerns about Turkish’s behaviour, alleging that he had taken Stevens’ phone away, making it difficult for others to contact her. Turkish rejected the allegation and instead accused Acker of repeatedly contacting Stevens despite her attempts to support him through a previous controversy at the university.Stevens subsequently defended her endorsement in an 890-word statement on X, denying that her fiancé had influenced her decision. She said El-Sayed was not fit to serve in the Senate.Her endorsement triggered backlash among Democrats and prompted several staffers, including her chief of staff and communications director, to resign.
Trump repeats ‘total fraud’ claim over Alaska Senate race
Trump has again called the Alaska Senate race a “total fraud” in a phone interview with Fox News’ Fox and Friends, referencing a New York Times report from last week that said Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Party helped recruit a “spoiler” candidate to appear on the ballot.The Trump administration recently stepped up investigations into the allegation that the candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan was recruited to confuse voters. Trump said the second Sullivan agreed “to participate absolutely illegally”, adding, “It was a criminal act.” He also claimed another person “who has nothing to do with politics” appeared on the ballot.
Several Florida polling places shifted amid heavy rain, flooding
Polling places in several Florida counties have been changed due to flash flooding. Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in seven counties along the Atlantic seaboard that are being hit with flash flooding and extreme precipitation.NBC reported that at least four precincts in S. Lucie County, which Donald Trump won with 54% of the vote in 2024, had to be moved because of flooding concerns as the region is hit with “historic” levels of rain ahead of Election Day. Five polling locations in Brevard County also have been moved because of inclement weather and for the “safety and security” of election workers.
DOJ deploys election monitors to 126 counties across US
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has deployed around 1,000 election monitors across all 50 states, marking the first time the department has sent monitors to every state and what it described as the largest election-monitoring effort in its history.The department on Tuesday released a list of 126 counties where the monitors will be present, including several in states with closely watched midterm races.According to the DOJ, the monitors will observe polling places to ensure compliance with federal voting laws, including provisions prohibiting voter intimidation and discrimination based on race, colour, national origin or religion. Their remit also includes checking that voters with disabilities have a “full and equal” opportunity to cast their ballots and that polling places provide legally required language assistance.“We are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement.The monitors are not law enforcement officials and are not involved in counting votes. They do not have access to voting machines or ballots, and are instructed not to interfere with the voting process. Their role is limited to observing polling places for potential violations of federal election laws, CNN reported.
Midterms decide who controls Congress
Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the House and Senate to overturn Republicans’ narrow majorities of 218-214 and 53-47, respectively. While Democrats are widely expected to reclaim the House, the Senate race remains closely contested, with the scale of any gains likely to determine how much of President Donald Trump’s agenda Republicans can advance during the final two years of his term.A Democratic victory in either chamber could pave the way for investigations into the Trump administration’s ethics, immigration enforcement and handling of the Iran war.Conversely, a strong Republican showing could reinforce Trump’s grip on the party, while heavy losses may intensify pressure to reconsider unpopular policies.
Problems at polling stations and during the count
Election officials have warned that close contests could lead to disputes over voter eligibility, ballot counting and certification. Long queues, machine malfunctions and challenges by partisan poll watchers could also fuel litigation and delay results.The Justice Department plans to deploy about 1,000 election monitors nationwide, roughly three times the number sent during the previous midterms. Some local officials fear their presence could intimidate voters, although the department has dismissed those concerns.Officials and legal experts are also watching for federal investigations or legal challenges that could disrupt certification.Several states are also unlikely to have complete results on election night, particularly in close races, potentially creating further disputes.
How Trump responds to the results
Trump’s reaction, particularly if Republicans lose control of Congress, could become a major story after polls close.In 2020, he declared victory before counting was complete and called for the process to stop. After losing to Joe Biden, he continued to falsely claim the election had been stolen, helping fuel the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by supporters seeking to block certification of Biden’s victory.Trump’s administration has also sought voter data from states and launched investigations into suspected noncitizen voting, despite limited evidence of the practice. The Justice Department recently sued California over alleged noncitizen ballots.
Voter turnout
Turnout among each party’s core supporters could prove decisive. Opinion polls showed Democrats were considerably more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans heading into Election Day.However, young, Black and Hispanic voters have historically participated at lower rates in midterms than in presidential elections. Surveys also indicate persistent scepticism towards both parties among these groups, particularly over the cost of living.If their turnout falls short of expectations, Democrats could underperform.
What the results mean for 2028
The midterms could influence the debate over who leads both parties into the next presidential election.Democrats remain divided between those advocating a more populist economic message and those favouring a centrist approach to win back swing voters. Strong performances by candidates from either camp could strengthen their respective arguments and shape the contest for the party’s 2028 nomination.The results could also offer an early indication of how voters view Trump’s policies and the direction of the Republican Party as it looks towards the next presidential race.