US midterms test Trump's grip on Congress amid voter discontent

Americans voted in midterm elections that will determine control of the US Congress, with early surveys indicating dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the state of the country, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

More than 210 million Americans were eligible to vote for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, Senate seats, 36 state governorships and several local public offices. Voting began at 6 am Eastern Time on Tuesday, with polling scheduled to close in stages across US time zones.

Preliminary results from CNN's national voter survey showed broad dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, the economy and Trump's performance. A Fox News voter survey found that the economy was the most important issue, followed closely by the state of democracy.

Trump remained in his White House office with advisers as voters queued at polling stations across the country. On Tuesday afternoon, he endorsed Republican candidates through a series of posts on X.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told staff and volunteers at a phone bank in Washington that the party was on the “brink of dramatic change” and of taking back the House. “We're going to deliver a Congress that actually puts the American people first,” he said.

At the White House, Trump watched pre-election coverage on Fox News but criticised commentator Jessica Tarlov. “Watching the Pre-Election Results on Fox News, but I can't stand Jessica Tarlov's voice - DUMB AS A ROCK, but it's the voice that gets me. Have to go somewhere else until that LOSER is off the air - I'll be back later,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Throughout the day, Trump administration representatives Brooke Rollins, Doug Burgum and Markwayne Mullin spoke to reporters about the administration's achievements, PTI reported. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seen entering the West Wing but indicated that he did not want to speak.

Vice-President J D Vance used a post on X to remind voters about the administration's tax measures over the previous year and a half. “We ended taxes on overtime. We ended taxes on tips. We ended taxes on Social Security,” he wrote.

On polling day, Trump announced that the US would stop providing Israel with USD 4 billion in aid from the following year. Democrat Ro Khanna described the move as a “desperate attempt to stave off a Blue tsunami”.

The elections will decide whether Trump's Republican Party retains control of the House and Senate or whether the Democrats take control of at least the House, as opinion polls had suggested. The outcome will shape the final two years of Trump's second term.

If the Democrats gain control of Congress, they would be able to increase scrutiny of Trump's actions and restrict his ability to advance his agenda. Trump would retain the power to govern through executive orders.

Trump acknowledged the possibility that Republicans could lose both chambers but indicated that he would use his presidential veto. “I guess I'll become Mr Veto,” he told the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast when asked about such an outcome.

Republicans held narrow majorities in both chambers before the vote. The House had 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats, one independent and two vacant seats. The Senate was divided 53-47 in favour of the Republicans, meaning Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control.

Of the 35 Senate seats on the ballot, 22 were held by Republicans. Democrats were seeking to gain seven seats in Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Alaska. Each US state is represented by two senators serving six-year terms, with elections staggered so that part of the Senate faces voters every two years. House members serve two-year terms.

More than 57 million ballots had been cast across 47 states and Washington, DC, by Monday, according to the Associated Press. That compared with just under 44.5 million ballots cast across 49 states and Washington, DC, at the same stage in 2022.

On the eve of the elections, the US carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qesham island in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials said the strikes were in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft.

Several Indian-American candidates were also contesting positions ranging from governor to city council member. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy was in a close contest with Amy Acton for Ohio governor, while Kerala-born Democrat Nithya Raman was facing her former boss, Karen Bass, in the race for Los Angeles mayor.

Indian-American lawmakers Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal and Suhas Subramanyam were seeking re-election to the House. Democrats Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah were contesting competitive races in bids to enter Congress for the first time.

The midterm results will determine whether Republicans retain their narrow majorities in Congress or Democrats gain control of one or both chambers, with the outcome set to influence the remaining two years of Trump's second term.