Understand
A simple guide to the US midterm elections
Overview
With four weeks until the US midterm elections, voters will decide control of Congress, impacting President Donald Trump's legislative agenda. The elections involve all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 out of 100 Senate seats, and various state-level positions. Key issues include the economy, inflation, immigration, and artificial intelligence regulation. If Democrats win control of either chamber of Congress, they could obstruct Trump's domestic plans, launch investigations, or potentially pursue impeachment, whereas Republican retention would allow Trump to continue his current agenda.
Key points
- Voters will choose all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 of 100 Senate seats on 3 November.
- The outcome will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress and shape the remainder of Donald Trump's presidency.
- Key voter concerns include the US economy, inflation, immigration, and regulation of artificial intelligence.
- Republicans currently hold slender majorities in both the House and the Senate.
- If Democrats win control of either chamber, they gain powers to block legislation, launch investigations, or debate impeachment.
- Polling shows low approval ratings for President Trump, though many congressional seats remain safe bets for each party.