US Midterm Elections: Control of Congress at Stake

US Midterm Elections Put Congress Control at Stake

The United States is heading into a closely watched midterm election, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats being contested. The results could reshape the balance of power in Congress during President Donald Trump's final two years in office. Democrats are widely expected to have a stronger chance of regaining control of the House, while the Senate contest remains more challenging.

Michigan and Alaska Senate Races Draw Attention

Michigan and Alaska have emerged as key battlegrounds in the Senate race. In Michigan, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. He is competing against Republican Mike Rogers. The campaign became more contentious after Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the primary to El-Sayed, announced her support for Rogers. El-Sayed's campaign reported raising $2.4 million in donations on Sunday.

Supreme Court Rejects California Ballot Request

A major legal dispute has also developed in California. The US Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's request to temporarily prevent the state from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters whom federal officials suspected could be non-US citizens. California argued that the request could disenfranchise eligible voters and relied on an error-prone identification process. A federal judge also ordered the administration to stop demanding that certain ballots be separated based on lists of suspected noncitizens.

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Election Dispute Emerges in Alaska

Alaska has become another centre of political and legal controversy because two candidates with similar names are contesting the Senate election. The Justice Department had sought to block certification of the results if Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan narrowly lost, citing possible voter confusion. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit on Sunday. Sullivan said he would accept the election results, while Democrat Mary Peltola and challenger Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. denied claims of campaign coordination.

Trump Makes Final Campaign Appeal

President Donald Trump campaigned for Republican candidates across 20 states during the 32 days leading up to the election, according to the White House. In his final major public appearance before voting day, he spoke at the reopening of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, highlighting renovation work and other projects in the capital. He also urged voters to support Republicans, making a brief appeal focused on the election.

Record Early Voting and Poll Figures

Early voting has reached a record level, with approximately 57 million ballots cast in person or by mail by Monday afternoon, according to the report. This is higher than the 45 million early votes recorded throughout the 2022 midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found that 46 per cent of registered voters intended to support Democrats in congressional elections, compared with 38 per cent for Republicans.

Election Results Could Shape Trump's Final Two Years

The outcome will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress or Democrats gain power in one or both chambers. A change in control could affect the administration's ability to pass legislation, while a Democratic majority could increase congressional scrutiny of the Trump administration and influence the confirmation of federal judicial appointments. The results are therefore expected to have major consequences for the direction of US politics.