Voters Decide Control of Congress Tuesday
Americans vote Tuesday in midterm elections that will decide control of the House and Senate, with Republicans defending slim majorities and toss-up Senate races in Alaska, Texas and Iowa.
Voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, in midterm elections that will determine which party controls Congress for the next two years. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both chambers, and the final Fox News Power Rankings rated the battle for the Senate a toss-up, with contests in Alaska, Texas and Iowa among those that could tip the chamber.
President Donald Trump spent the final weekend campaigning in Florida, Iowa and Kansas, states he carried in past elections, and held tele-rallies for candidates in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the BBC reported. His appearances in states once considered reliably Republican signaled how competitive those races have become. At the rallies, Trump emphasized his trade and immigration policies and argued that Democrats, if given power, would “open the border” and bankrupt families. He has predicted Republicans will hold both chambers, telling supporters last week that a GOP Congress elected Nov. 3 would “continue to put America first every single day,” according to Fox News.
The last round of polls showed Democrats edging ahead in key Senate races, and polls suggest the party has a good chance at winning at least partial control of Congress, the BBC reported. NPR identified voter groups that have soured on Trump during his second term as a central storyline to watch as results come in.
The context
Republicans currently hold the Senate 53-47, and the GOP needs 50 seats to retain control because Vice President JD Vance casts tie-breaking votes, Fox News reported. The network’s final forecast put Democrats ahead in 48 seats and Republicans in 47, leaving both parties three seats short of a majority. The party holding the White House has traditionally lost seats in midterm years, and the GOP faces additional headwinds this cycle. The BBC reported that prices for fuel, groceries and health care have risen since the war with Iran began more than eight months ago, and Fox News cited polling showing the war is unpopular and Trump’s approval ratings have turned increasingly negative. Trump has campaigned continuously across the country, including in areas once viewed as safe Republican territory, seeking to shift attention away from cost-of-living frustration and energize Republican turnout. Some Republicans have expressed concern about his appeal to more moderate voters, the BBC reported.
Why it matters
Control of Congress shapes what Trump can accomplish in the remaining two years of his term. The BBC reported that a Democratic win of even partial control would act as a check on his power and could upend the direction of his presidency. Beyond Congress, voters are deciding governorships in 36 states and three territories, legislative elections in all but four states, and 145 statewide ballot measures, according to Fox News. The results will also test how much voter frustration over rising prices and the Iran war has eroded Republican support in formerly safe states.
What’s next
Polls close at staggered times Tuesday night, which will shape how results unfold, Fox News reported. Key things to watch include the toss-up Senate races in Alaska, Texas and Iowa, outcomes on the 145 ballot measures, and whether voter groups that NPR says have soured on Trump in his second term break toward Democrats. Which party reaches a Senate majority, and whether Republicans hold the House, remains unresolved until results come in.
Sources
6 things to watch for on election night
NPR lays out the key election-night storylines, centering on voter groups that have soured on President Trump in his second term.
Trump makes final campaign push in final weekend before election
Trump rallied in previously Republican-won states, underscoring how tight Tuesday’s races for control of Congress have become.
Everything to know about House and Senate control, ballot measures and 2026 Election Day poll closing
Republicans defend slim congressional majorities, with toss-up Senate races in Alaska, Texas and Iowa potentially deciding control of the chamber.
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