WASHINGTON — Americans are voting Tuesday in midterm elections that will decide which party controls the U.S. House and Senate for the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term, The Associated Press reported.
Republicans hold both chambers. Democrats must flip four Senate seats and three House seats to take control, according to the AP.
The most closely watched Senate races are in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. House battlegrounds are scattered across the country, and many contested seats are in states and districts Trump won by wide margins.
Democrats have focused on Trump’s approval rating, dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and the cost of living. Republicans have focused on social issues, and Trump has made himself a central figure in the campaign, the AP reported.
Latino voters could play a major role. The path to a House majority runs through heavily Latino districts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas.
In Michigan, the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters pits Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim U.S. senator, against Republican Mike Rogers, who is trying to become the first Republican to win a Michigan Senate race in more than three decades.
Some key races may not be decided on election night. Results will depend on how quickly states count mail and provisional ballots.
Sources: Associated Press via KTAR News, CBS News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Architect of the Capitol / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
