Americans Vote in Midterm Elections With Control of Congress and Trump's Standing at Stake

Americans voted Tuesday, November 3, in midterm elections that will determine control of the US Congress and decide governorships in some states, with Democrats optimistic about winning back the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. All 435 House seats are on the ballot, along with Senate seats, as Republicans defend narrow majorities in both chambers. President Donald Trump's approval rating is at a record low, and voters are concerned about the cost of living, rising fuel prices and an unpopular war with Iran. Millions voted with relatively minor disruptions, and early turnout surpassed that of recent midterms. Polls begin closing at 6 pm EST, and early-closing bellwether races in Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia are expected to signal whether a Democratic wave is coming. Vote counting in Maine and Alaska could take days, which could delay a determination of which party prevails. Trump held 30 rallies over the past month and gave a closing address Monday at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The left-leaning Guardian US leads with Trump facing a political reckoning and frames the vote as a verdict on his second term. It features Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calling his party's mood nauseously optimistic, cites favourable polls, and describes Trump's rally speeches in sharply critical terms, including lies and prejudice. Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and alternative outlets had, so no right-side framing is available. The alternative outlets differ in angle: Semafor stresses turnout, bellwether races and slow counts in Maine and Alaska, while Deutsche Welle offers an explainer on how midterms work, quoting election analyst J. Miles Coleman and comparing House seats in Wyoming and New Jersey. The sources agree on the referendum framing and Trump's record-low approval.