US elections take place under a shadow of uncertainty ::::: Midterm polls seen as referendum on Donald Trump

Americans head to polls in midterm elections seen as referendum on Trump  

Opinion surveys have suggested the Democrats are well-positioned to win the House. The party faces a tougher task to regain control of the Senate, although it has targeted several Republican-held seats including Ohio, Texas and Maine.

The US Congress has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both must approve federal legislation before it can become law and both play important roles in overseeing the executive branch.

The House is elected every two years, meaning all 435 voting seats are contested at every congressional election. The Senate has 100 members serving staggered six-year terms, so roughly a third of its seats are up for election every two years.

The war with Iran – which Donald Trump launched last February in understanding with Israel – has stoked inflation by increasing global oil prices, which has led to higher prices at the pump for American motorists and raised the cost of diesel, a vital fuel for supply chains and farmers. The US elections take place under a shadow of uncertainty about whether Trump will accept the results if they do not go the Republicans’ way.  

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.

Democrats and Republicans have scrambled in recent days to deliver their final pitches to voters with control of the US Senate and House of Representatives – both currently held by the Republicans – at stake.

The campaign has been overshadowed by Trump, who has staged several dozen rallies across the country while urging his make America great again (Maga) base to vote for Republican candidates and pretend his name was on the ballot.

The party holding the White House typically loses congressional seats at midterm elections and Democrats are hoping Trump’s nose-diving popularity can be exploited to generate a “blue wave” groundswell of popular opposition that will win them both the Senate and the House.

They are seeking to wrest control over both chambers of Congress to put a brake on Trump’s presidential power, which has gone largely unchecked as he has launched a fierce immigration crackdown involving mass arrests and deportations, waged war on Iran, imposed tariffs on foreign imports , and embarked on vainglorious building projects, including a White House ballroom.