Americans Vote With Control of Congress at Stake

Voters across the U.S. are casting ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, which will decide control of the House and Senate for the final two years of President Trump’s term.

The Morning Brief Desk · Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · How the Brief is made

Sources: NPR News, Fox News Politics, DW +1

Americans are voting Tuesday in midterm elections that will determine which party controls both chambers of Congress. The first polling stations opened at 5 a.m. in Vermont, with voting following at 6 a.m. local time in states including Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Virginia, DW reported. Polls close between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. depending on the state, and the first results are expected at 6 p.m. ET in Kentucky and Indiana.

Early voting set a record before Election Day arrived. More than 54 million people cast ballots early, according to the Associated Press, nearly nine million more than in the 2022 midterms. DW reported that more than 57 million ballots had been cast in 47 states and Washington, D.C., as of Monday.

Republicans are defending slim majorities in the House and Senate. At a Sunday rally in Salina, Kansas, Trump predicted his party would hold both chambers, telling supporters the GOP would win and make the next two years stronger. But in his final campaign appearance at the National Mall, he appeared to temper expectations, saying, “For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms, but we gave this a very strong shot,” according to DW. Final polls, forecasting models and betting markets point to a Democratic rout, Axios reported, though analysts caution against drawing conclusions before votes are counted.

The context

The party holding the White House has traditionally lost congressional seats in midterm years, and Republicans entered this cycle facing additional headwinds. Fox News reported that the GOP confronts persistent inflation tied in part to a war with Iran that polls show is unpopular, along with declining approval ratings for Trump. Public opinion surveys also indicated Democrats were more energized to vote than Republicans.

In the campaign’s final days, Democrats pushed into Republican strongholds including Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Kansas, seeking to channel voter frustration over the Iran war and rising prices, DW reported. Republicans countered by portraying their opponents as left-wing radicals while promoting Trump’s immigration enforcement and tax cuts. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico blamed Trump’s tariffs for grocery price increases, while Republican Ken Paxton attacked him in cultural terms. In Michigan, Democrats worked to maintain unity after Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. With early voting traditionally favoring Democrats, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters told Fox News Digital, “If our voters turn out, we win.”

Why it matters

The outcome will shape how much power Trump has to enact his agenda during his final two years in office. If Republicans hold their narrow majorities, the White House retains a legislative path; a Democratic takeover of either chamber would constrain it. Fox News counted seven toss-up Senate races, meaning control could hinge on a handful of close contests. Beyond Congress, voters are also deciding governorships and major ballot measures. The record early turnout suggests high engagement on both sides, though its partisan implications remain uncertain until Election Day votes are tallied.

What’s next

Vote counting begins immediately after polls close, starting with Kentucky and Indiana at 6 p.m. ET and continuing as closings roll westward through 9 p.m. The key questions are whether Republicans can hold their slim House and Senate majorities and whether the Democratic sweep forecast by polls, models and betting markets materializes. Close races in the seven toss-up Senate contests may take longer to resolve, and analysts have warned against premature conclusions.

Sources

NPR News
It’s Election Day. Control of Congress is on the line, and what else you need to know
Polls open nationwide with control of both chambers at stake; first results begin at 6 p.m. ET in Kentucky and Indiana.
Fox News Politics
The battle for Congress is just the beginning. Here’s what’s at stake on Election Day
Republicans defend slim majorities as early voting shatters records with more than 54 million ballots already cast.
DW
US voters head to polls for midterm elections set to define remainder of Trump’s term
The midterms will determine how much power President Trump has to enact his agenda in the final two years of his term.
Axios
Final polls, models and markets see a ‘blue tsunami’
Virtually every major indicator forecasts a Democratic rout, raising stakes for Trump’s Washington — and the risk of premature conclusions.