WASHINGTON: As polls close in the midterm elections Tuesday, attention will turn quickly to whether Republicans accept the results, with the Justice Department already in court over the possible certification of a Senate race and President Donald Trump repeating unproven claims of Democratic cheating.
Democrats are favored to win control of the House and are competing for the Senate, according to forecasts. Decision Desk HQ’s final projection gave Democrats 241 House seats to Republicans’ 194 and a 52-48 Senate majority for Democrats. Republicans now hold the Senate 53-47.
The Justice Department, led by a close Trump ally, has sued to potentially block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan narrowly loses. A court ruled against the effort on the eve of the election.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to force California to set aside the mail-in ballots of more than 20,000 people on the grounds that they may not be U.S. citizens.
Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 defeat, has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud and has accused Democrats of cheating without offering evidence.
What’s at stake
All 435 House seats, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot. Democrats need to gain three House seats and a net four Senate seats to take both chambers.
A Democratic House would be able to stall Trump’s legislative agenda and open broad investigations of his administration. Losing the Senate would also jeopardize his ability to appoint Supreme Court justices and senior officials.
Asked about a loss of Congress, Trump said on a podcast Monday, “I veto everything,” though he added that he might eventually strike deals with Democrats.
A broad Senate battlefield
Beyond the contested Alaska race, Democrats are competing in Republican-leaning Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Ohio. They are also defending competitive seats, including in Michigan, where a party feud has complicated the race. Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.
Polls can understate one party’s support, and Republicans are counting on strong Election Day turnout. More than 57 million Americans voted early, a sign of high voter energy.
Voters’ concerns
Voter anger over living costs and the war on Iran has darkened the mood for Republicans. Trump’s approval rating has hovered near the low 30s. Inflation, tariffs and fuel prices raised by the Middle East conflict have strained household budgets.
Republicans argue that Trump’s tax cuts and immigration crackdown will help Americans, and they have portrayed Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals.
In his last campaign appearance Monday, Trump said little about the economy, spending much of the speech on his troubled renovation of Washington’s Reflecting Pool. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called it a “pathetic closing message.”
Voters expressed confidence on both sides. Yvonne Clouser, a Texas veteran, said she believes Republicans have “probably already won.” In suburban Atlanta, retired teacher Jane Callum, 77, canvassed for Sen. Jon Ossoff, saying she felt obligated to help steer the country toward democracy and away from autocracy.
The race has drawn more than $11 billion in political advertising. Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk has given hundreds of millions of dollars to Republican efforts.
Trump plans to watch the results at the White House on Tuesday night.
