Americans Vote in Crucial Midterms Seen as Trump Referendum

Voters across the United States are casting ballots in midterm elections that function largely as a referendum on Donald Trump’s second term in office. Control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, currently held by Republicans, hangs in the balance. Americans are heading to the polls today in US midterm elections widely seen as a referendum on Donald Trump’s second presidency and a chance for opponents to rein in his untrammeled power. A final set of polls from the New York Times and Siena University. US midterm elections 2026: latest updates.

Campaigning has centered heavily on the president, who has held numerous rallies nationwide to urge his supporters to back Republican candidates. The party controlling the White House traditionally loses congressional seats during midterms, and Democrats aim to harness public opposition to generate a “blue wave” that could secure them majorities in both chambers. Voters have chafed under rising living costs, which Trump vowed to reduce during his 2024 presidential campaign, as the president has grown wealthier.

A Democratic victory in either chamber would provide a legislative check on presidential authority. Trump has pursued an aggressive agenda involving mass deportations and arrests, an ongoing conflict with Iran, foreign import tariffs, and high-profile construction projects such as a new White House ballroom.

Opinion polls indicate Democrats are well-positioned to take the House, while regaining the Senate presents a more difficult challenge, though the party has focused efforts on Republican-held seats in states including Ohio, Texas, and Maine.

The final campaign days brought internal turmoil for Democrats in Michigan, a critical battleground for Senate control. Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost her primary to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer condemned the move as a despicable betrayal. However, the final stretch of the campaign was not without drama for the Democrats.

El-Sayed addressed supporters in Royal Oak, Michigan, dismissing distractions and focusing economic blame on political adversaries. Earlier, the party faced controversy in Alaska following reports that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign attempted to recruit a rival with a nearly identical name to Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan, a claim Peltola denied. “Whatever they’re trying to distract you, it’s because they’re picking your pocket,” El Sayed told hundreds of supporters in Royal Oak, Michigan on Monday.

Prior to those reports, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate results if Republicans lost, citing potential voter confusion over the ballot names. A judge subsequently dismissed the lawsuit.

Trump has maintained a prominent role despite opinion polls placing his approval ratings between 33 and 37 percent. Democrats have emphasized these low ratings alongside issues of government corruption, affordability, and the economic fallout from the war with Iran, which has driven up fuel prices. Despite opinion polls showing his approval ratings falling to record lows of between 33 and 37, trump has put himself center stage by crisscrossing the country to deliver a succession of speeches for Republican candidate.

A Harris poll conducted for revealed that 76 percent of respondents believe elected officials prioritize self-enrichment over economic improvements for citizens. Financial disclosures show Trump has accumulated approximately 2.2 billion dollars since returning to the presidency, including earnings from a branded meme coin. A recent Harris poll for found that 76% think elected officials care more about enriching themselves than improving the economy for ordinary people.

The military engagement with Iran, initiated alongside Israel, has fueled inflation by inflating global oil prices and raising costs for motorists and agricultural supply chains. Additional uncertainty surrounds whether the administration will accept unfavorable election outcomes.

Led by Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department has pursued various legal actions that critics argue aim to undermine election integrity, including unproven allegations of widespread voting by non-citizens. The department plans to deploy a record 1,000 election monitors to polling stations nationwide, a deployment critics have labeled voter intimidation.