WASHINGTON — Americans struggling with high prices and angry over an unpopular war with Iran began voting on Tuesday in one of the most consequential elections, widely seen as a referendum on Donald Trump’s second term.
Voters in several US states, including New York, Georgia and South Carolina, have been casting their ballots this morning, joining millions who did so before Election Day.
The stakes are high for both parties as Democrats attempt to gain control of both the House and Senate. Democrats entered Election Day with a 9-point advantage in the generic congressional ballot, according to CNN’s Poll of Polls.
Meanwhile, Republicans face tests of their redistricting strategy and their grip on Senate seats in solidly red states.
At stake in the elections are all 435 seats of the House and 37 seats in the 100-member Senate.
Elections are also being held for the post of Governor in 36 states.
On Monday, the Republicans and the Democrats made their final pitch to the voters, with Trump choosing an unusual venue the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to focus on the renovations undertaken in the national capital instead of talking about tax cuts, tariffs and border security, which have been the high points of his election rallies.
According to the White House, Trump did a whirlwind tour of 20 states, mostly Republican strongholds, to address 30 rallies in the last 32 days. Analysts say his approval ratings are at an all-time low, and he has become a liability to Republican candidates.
If the pre-poll forecasts come true and Democrats take control of the US Congress, it will allow for deeper Congressional scrutiny and checks of Trump’s actions, which will severely limit his ability to push his agenda. He will, however, retain the power to govern through executive orders, which will be valid for two years.
Trump acknowledged the possibility of his wings being clipped but indicated that he will not allow Congress to slow him down.
“I guess I’ll become Mr Veto,” Trump told the New York Postin response to a question on Republicans losing control of both Houses of the US Congress.
Former President Barack Obama boosted the Democratic campaign with rallies in Ohio, Michigan and Georgia, which clearly left Trump rattled.
“This election is our last, best chance of at least reining him in, reining in some of the foolishness of this administration,” Obama said in Georgia.
The Democrats, however, suffered an unexpected setback in the eleventh hour when Congresswoman Haley Stevens of Michigan crossed over to the Republican side on Sunday, breaking ranks with Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who could be the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
The Democratic Party quickly rallied behind El-Sayed by issuing statements condemning Stevens, who sprung a surprise by endorsing El-Sayed’s Republican rival, Mike Rogers, and appearing alongside him in public.
Stevens lost in the Senate primary to El-Sayed. She is a staunch supporter of Israel, while El-Sayed is a fierce critic of the US ally.
The Democrats are hoping to flip seven Senate seats: Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Alaska in their bid to gain a majority in the 100-member House.
Each of the 50 states in the United States is represented by two Senators who sit in the Congress for a six-year term. But the Senators are divided into three lots, and their terms are staggered so that elections are held every two years.
The mid-term elections are also crucial for Vice President J D Vance, who is burnishing his credentials to become a successor to Trump’s mantle.
Vance made campaign stops in New York and Ohio on Monday, where Republicans were fighting for House and Senate seats.
He highlighted Trump’s moves to end taxes on tips and overtime and secure the border while branding Democrats as “lunatics” who have contempt for American voters.
About 210 million Americans are registered to vote, according to USAFacts. California has the most registered voters, with 23.2 million, followed by Texas (17.4 million) and Florida (13.6 million). Together, they account for about 26 percent of all registered voters.
According to the AP, more than 57 million ballots have been cast in 47 states and D.C. as of Monday, with turnout surpassing the early vote four years ago in many closely watched states.
Source: Saudi Gazette