US Midterm Elections: Americans Vote as Democrats Chase Control of Congress

Americans are voting today in the US midterm elections, a contest that will decide whether President Donald Trump’s Republican Party keeps control of Congress for the final two years of his term.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are on the ballot, along with 35 Senate seats. Many states are also choosing governors. Early voting has been under way for weeks.

Republicans hold a very narrow House majority, with Democrats just behind and two seats vacant. In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 seats against 47 for Democrats and their independent allies. Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take the chamber, because Vice President JD Vance can break a tie in the Republicans’ favour.

A Democratic House would be able to block Republican bills, open investigations and use its power over government funding as leverage. A Democratic Senate could stop presidential nominees, including federal judges and Supreme Court picks.

The limits are real. Even if Democrats won both chambers, Mr Trump could veto their bills, and overriding a veto needs a two-thirds vote in each chamber. Most Senate legislation also needs 60 votes to end debate.

Reports say Democrats appear more motivated to vote, but a landslide is far from certain, partly because Republicans have a spending advantage. Close races are expected to decide the Senate.

Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera