Americans vote in midterms seen as referendum on Trump's second term

DETROIT · Voters across the United States are casting ballots Tuesday in midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress. The vote is widely viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump's turbulent and controversial second term in office. Democrats are hoping to capitalize on Trump's low approval ratings to win majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. If successful, they could impose a check on the president's executive power for the final two years of his term. Polls show the president's popularity has suffered due to high inflation, rising fuel costs and the ongoing war with Iran.

Control of the House appears within reach for Democrats, who need a net gain of only three seats to secure a narrow majority. Republicans currently hold a one-seat advantage with 219 seats, a margin that is historically difficult to defend in a midterm election. The battle for the Senate is more uncertain, with Democrats needing to flip four Republican-held seats. Key contests that could decide the chamber are underway in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. According to an Ipsos poll for Reuters, 47 per cent of voters say the cost of living is their top concern in this election.

Trump concluded his campaign Monday with a press conference that focused extensively on his renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington. "We'll defend our country, our culture and our heritage for generations to come," the president said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the speech as a "pathetic closing message." In his remarks, Trump also attacked the Democratic Party as extreme and dangerous, claiming its members hate America. His administration recently adjusted tariffs on Canadian goods, a move seen as an attempt to aid Republican Senator Susan Collins in her difficult re-election fight in Maine.

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The final days of the campaign were marked by a dramatic party split in the crucial Michigan Senate race. Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the party's primary to Abdul El-Sayed, stunned officials on Sunday by endorsing the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers. Schumer condemned the move as "a despicable betrayal." At a rally in Royal Oak on Monday, El-Sayed told supporters, "Whatever they're trying to distract you, it's because they're picking your pocket." The outcome in Michigan could prove decisive for either party's hopes of controlling the Senate.

Financial disclosures show Trump has earned approximately $2.2 billion since returning to the White House. A Harris poll conducted for the Guardian found that 76 per cent of Americans believe elected officials care more about enriching themselves than helping the economy. Many voters feel betrayed by the president's failure to reduce living costs as he promised during his 2024 campaign. Steven Sherman, a 27-year-old Michigan resident, said his voting priorities are "affordability and health care." He added, "I'm a Type 1 diabetic and access to insulin and access to health care (is important)."

Some former Trump supporters now say they feel deceived. Dylan Raford, a 19-year-old from South Carolina who backed the president in 2024, described himself as a business owner and entrepreneur. He said he now believes Trump is using the presidency to enrich himself and is failing to uphold the dignity of his office. "I did like Trump. I did. As a Black person, I got so much hate for it," Raford said. "He made me a fool. He made all those people right." He plans to vote for Democrats in South Carolina's midterm races because he wants to see restraints placed on the president.

The election is unfolding amid concerns that Trump may not accept the results if Republicans lose. The president has spent months attempting to influence state elections, with his Justice and Homeland Security departments pursuing a highly publicized search for non-citizen voters. The Department of Justice planned to deploy a record number of monitors to polling stations, a step critics denounced as voter intimidation. Heavy rain and flooding in the Southwest could complicate voting in parts of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The first polls opened at 6 a.m. EST Tuesday, with final results not expected until early Wednesday morning.

With files from The Canadian Press, CityNews and Global News