Economic pressures have dominated the political landscape as all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are contested in this federal election. More than 60 million voters cast early ballots, easily breaking the previous record established in the 2022 midterm elections. Meanwhile, political forecasting models give Democrats an 82% probability of securing the Senate, bolstered by a 9.4-point lead on the generic congressional ballot.
Key points
Democrats must secure a net gain of at least four seats to overcome Vice President JD Van…: Democrats must secure a net gain of at least four seats to overcome Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote and capture the Senate.
Forecasting models from Nate Silver position Democrats as strong favorites to take the Ho…: Forecasting models from Nate Silver position Democrats as strong favorites to take the House and give them an 82% chance of winning the Senate.
President Donald Trump carries a -20.4 net approval rating into the election as voters we…: President Donald Trump carries a -20.4 net approval rating into the election as voters weigh ongoing economic concerns.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
That is more early votes than in any previous midterm, said Michael McDonald, a University of Florida political science professor who runs the lab's early voting tracker. "We beat that number which was about 46 million in 2022 by quite a bit," McDonald told Scripps News.
ALSO READ: What time do voting polls close today?
That is the backdrop as Americans head to the polls to decide which party will control Congress. For many voters, the rising cost of everyday essentials, including fuel, groceries and housing, has become a key election issue. More than 60 million people had already cast their ballots before polling stations opened on Tuesday.
Gas prices climb to record high on election day
The average gas price as of Monday is $4.17, according to data from AAA. That is roughly 37 cents higher than prices heading into the 2022 midterm election, which held the previous record for an Election Day. This also applies to diesel, which now costs $6.28 per gallon, which is also the highest average ever on a U.S. Election Day.ALSO READ: When will…
The victory marks a significant pickup for Democrats in North Carolina following a turbulent campaign season for the opposing party. State legislator Balkcom stepped in as the replacement candidate after incumbent Chuck Edwards abruptly suspended his campaign late in the summer. Edwards exited the race after being censured by the House for workplace misconduct.
The victory marks a historic milestone as Pia Dandiya becomes the first Indian-American elected to the US House of Representatives from Florida and the tenth nationwide. Defeating Republican Casey Askar, the Democratic former educator flipped a freshly redrawn seat stretching across four southern Florida counties. Her win contributes to critical Democratic efforts to shift the balance of power during President Donald Trump's midterm legislative cycle.
The departure follows mounting outrage from unions and opposition lawmakers over the country's second fatal high-speed rail accident this year. Investigators found the crash occurred when traffic controllers mistakenly authorised a train to pass a red signal after communication systems failed. This political fallout delivers a severe blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez just weeks before a snap general election.