Millions of Americans are heading to the polls in midterms that could shift the balance of power in Washington. The outcome of these elections will determine which party – the Republicans of US President Donald Trump or the opposition Democrats – will control Congress.
The US Congress consists of two chambers – the lower House of Representatives and the upper Senate. To secure a majority in the House of Representatives, a party must win 218 seats, while an absolute majority in the Senate requires 51 seats. If the balance of power in the upper chamber is 50 to 50, the Vice President of the United States casts the deciding vote, giving their party control of the Senate. The Senate has a total of 100 members, and 35 seats are up for election in this vote.
After polling stations close, it may take several hours, days or even weeks before election result projections are known. Early projections following the closing of polls in some US states on Wednesday indicate that Democrats are on track to take a majority in both chambers of the US Congress. The New York Times' "needle" currently gives Democrats an 82 per cent chance of taking control of the Senate and a 94 per cent chance of securing a majority in the House of Representatives.
Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley in the race for the US Senate in North Carolina, according to an NBC News projection. This is the first Senate seat in these elections to switch from one party to the other. To win a majority in the Senate, Democrats must defend all their current seats and take four more from the Republicans.
Republican Senator Ashley Moody won a new term in the US Senate as the representative of Florida, according to a projection by CNN's election analytics team. Moody defeated state legislator Angie Nixon, who identifies as a democratic socialist. Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu in the US Senate election in the state of New Hampshire, allowing the Democratic Party to retain the Senate seat in that state. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won a new term in the state of Georgia, according to projections from US media, where US President Donald Trump won in 2024 with a two-percentage-point lead.
Economics professor Aleksandar Saša Tomić from Boston spoke to N1 and commented on the impact of the economy on the current midterms. Tomić said that the cost of living and artificial intelligence are influencing these elections. He added that before the war in Iran, he filled his car with petrol for about 50 dollars, but now it costs him about 80 dollars. Unemployment is, he added, at 4.2 per cent.
