Washington DC, Nov 3: Americans are voting today in the midterm elections, with polling hours varying from state to state.
The election will determine all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate. Held two years after a presidential election, midterm elections also determine the governors of several states.
President Donald Trump’s Republican Party currently holds majorities in both chambers of Congress. Losing control of either chamber would make it harder for Trump to pass legislation supporting his policy agenda.
The Senate has 100 seats. Republicans currently hold 53, while Democrats have 45. Two independent senators have been caucusing with the Democrats. Under normal circumstances, 51 votes are required for a majority. If the Senate is split 50 to 50, Vice President JD Vance can cast the tie-breaking vote.
This year, 35 Senate seats are up for election. Republicans currently control 22 of them, and Democrats 13. Democrats will need a net gain of at least four seats to secure a Senate majority.
The House of Representatives has 435 seats, with at least 218 needed for a majority. All 435 seats are being contested this year. The party that wins 218 or more seats will control the lower chamber. Republicans are seeking to retain their majorities in both chambers, while Democrats are trying to gain control of both.
Four major issues and five key Senate races
The war with Iran and rising fuel prices have become major election issues. Diesel prices in the United States are said to have risen by 70 percent and petrol prices by as much as 50 percent following the war. Trump’s approval rating is reported to have fallen to 31 percent. Rising fuel costs have created an electoral challenge for Republicans. Trump is also facing criticism over a decision to purchase more than 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel from Russia.
Immigration and deportations are another major issue. Around 980,000 people were deported during the first 18 months of Trump’s second term. His administration has claimed that illegal crossings along the US border with Mexico have fallen by 95 percent. However, the deportation campaign has drawn criticism over the removal of people with no criminal records. Democrats argue that the policy has separated families and could lead to labour shortages in sectors such as agriculture and construction.
Trump had promised that tariffs would benefit American companies and protect jobs. However, tariffs are said to have pushed up the prices of cars, electronics, clothing and construction materials by 12 to 18 percent. Higher costs have increased expenses for American households, while retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries have affected US farmers’ soybean and corn exports.
Abortion rights and healthcare costs have also become key campaign issues. According to a KFF survey, abortion rights are an important election issue for 68 percent of women voters and 74 percent of young people aged 18 to 29. Democrats want to guarantee the legal right to abortion across the country, while Republicans favour leaving decisions on the issue to individual states.
Meanwhile, around 21.3 million people receive health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. The possibility of higher insurance costs following cuts to government subsidies has also become part of the election debate.
Five Senate races are drawing particular attention. In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton is competing against Democrat James Talarico. Two polls conducted in October showed both candidates with 49 percent support, while another put Talarico 3.8 percentage points ahead.
In Ohio, Republican Jon Husted is facing Democrat Sherrod Brown. Polls show Brown leading by between four and six percentage points. The seat is important to Republicans as they seek to retain control of the Senate.
In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper has received 52 percent support in polls, compared with 39 percent for Republican Michael Whatley, giving Cooper a 13-percentage point lead.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed holds a narrow lead over Republican Mike Rogers. Polls put El-Sayed at 50 percent and Rogers at 48 percent.
In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson has 49 percent support, while Republican Senator Susan Collins has 47 percent. (Source: BBC/Al Jazeera)
People’s News Monitoring Service
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