The US Democratic Party is entering the final week of the midterm election campaign, hoping to seize control of Congress as a result that could reshape the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Republicans, meanwhile, are being forced to defend seats in traditionally conservative strongholds amid voter anger over inflation and the war against Iran.
Opinion polls show Democrats holding a significant lead, while Republican campaign committees have redirected millions of dollars to states long considered conservative bastions in a striking shift ahead of the November 3 vote.
The elections could dramatically alter the final two years of Trump’s presidency, trigger bitter disputes over the results, and reshape the political landscape ahead of the next presidential election in 2028.
A Democratic-controlled House of Representatives would be able to obstruct Trump’s legislative agenda and wield subpoena power to investigate his administration, his family’s financial dealings, and his handling of the war against Iran.
If Democrats also regain control of the Senate, they could block Trump’s judicial and government nominees.
“We are on the verge of taking back the House,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CNN.
“I don’t want to attach a specific percentage to it, but I can say clearly that the chances of us achieving that are very high,” he added.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats. Voters will also elect governors in 36 states. Democrats need to flip just three Republican-held House seats and four Senate seats to secure control of both chambers of Congress.
CBS News’ latest Battleground Tracker estimates the Democratic Party is on pace to take control of the House in the midterm elections, but “that does not describe a giant blue wave,” Elections and Surveys Executive Director Anthony Salvanto reports. “Turnout is a big factor. It does favor Democrats. Right now, more Democrats tell us that they are definitely going to vote or already have than Republicans do,” he says. “They’re just planning to stay home right now. If they get activated or motivated, then yeah, this thing could shift or change a little.”
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 25, 2026
Republican strongholds under pressure
The US war against Iran, which began in February, has driven fuel prices sharply higher, adding to the financial pressure on voters already struggling with the effects of tariffs and inflation.
At the same time, Trump’s approval rating has fallen to levels rarely seen by a US president.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week put his approval rating at 31%, the lowest of his two terms in office. A New York Times/Siena poll, meanwhile, showed Democrats leading by 11 percentage points among likely voters.
The electoral map tells a similarly clear story.
Republicans are facing competitive Senate races in Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Ohio, and Alaska, all states Trump won by margins exceeding 10 percentage points in 2024.
In a striking shift in priorities, the main Republican Senate-aligned group funding campaign advertising has redirected resources from North Carolina to Kansas, which has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidates have benefited from strong fundraising, even as Republican-aligned groups have poured vast sums into defending their seats, bolstered by hundreds of millions of dollars spent by billionaire Elon Musk.
Republicans have also gained an advantage in some House races through redistricting, while Trump’s campaign rallies are aimed at mobilizing his loyal supporters, who often choose not to vote when his name is not on the ballot.
Could the results be contested?
More than 23 million people had cast early ballots by the end of the weekend, compared with around 15 million at the same stage in 2022. In several states, turnout among habitual Republican voters has lagged behind that of their Democratic counterparts.
However, concerns are mounting that the election battle may not end when the votes are counted.
Trump’s repeated, unsubstantiated claims of election fraud have prompted Democrats and voting rights organizations to prepare legal teams and election monitors to deal with potential disputes or federal interference.
The administration says federal election monitors will comply with the law and has denied plans to deploy troops or immigration enforcement personnel to polling stations.
Whatever the outcome, the vote will mark the beginning of a lengthy political transition toward 2028, when Trump will be constitutionally barred from seeking another term.
The elections will also provide an early test of whether the Republican movement Trump has reshaped can endure and thrive after his presidency. They could also help identify prominent Democrats capable of challenging his potential successors, with Vice President JD Vance currently appearing to be the leading contender to take the reins of the Republican Party in the post-Trump era.
On Sunday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News that his party would remain committed to the promises it had made and delivered on since 2024.
“Every voter should ask themselves a simple question: Which candidate is best for me, my family, my children, and my elderly parents?” Johnson said.
“In every one of these cases, Republicans are offering solutions grounded in reason and common sense, with a steady hand on the wheel, while Democrats are growing more unhinged by the day,” he added.