US midterm voters deliver verdict on Trump’s second term
Millions of Americans voted Tuesday in the 2026 midterms for all 435 House seats, 35 of 100 Senate seats and governors in all 50 states, a referendum on Donald Trump’s second term that could define his last two years. Democrats need a net gain of three House seats and four Senate seats. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called their mood “nauseously optimistic.” Republicans are defending narrow majorities as Trump’s approval sits at record lows. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 48 percent of voters ranked the cost of living first, 26 percent democratic norms and 13 percent immigration; nearly half said household finances had worsened since he returned in January 2025. Fuel prices and an unpopular war with Iran also weigh. More than 57 million had voted by Monday, exceeding 2022. Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats. Trump, 80, held 30 rallies in a month. His speeches included remarks on Ohio senator Jon Husted’s “ass”; Monday’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool address dwelt on algae, granite, re-caulking and grass. He said the US would stop $4bn a year to Israel after this year and would watch results at a White House reception, calling Democratic nominees “the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.” About a dozen Senate races are competitive, many in states he won in 2024; Democrats target Texas, Kansas, Iowa and Alaska. In Texas, James Talarico seeks to end a three-decade statewide drought against attorney general Ken Paxton, with more than $150m from Elon Musk. At a packed Austin rally Monday, Talarico said they were terrified of a win.
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