US Voters Decide Control of Congress in 2026 Midterm Elections as Trump Faces Verdict on Second Term

American voters went to the polls on 3 November 2026 in midterm elections that will determine which party controls Congress for the remainder of Donald Trump’s second term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested, along with 35 of the 100 Senate seats, including special elections in Florida and Ohio to fill vacancies created by Marco Rubio’s move to Secretary of State and JD Vance’s elevation to Vice President.

Republicans currently hold 218 seats in the House to the Democrats’ 214, with one independent and two vacancies. In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 seats against 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them. Democrats need a net gain of three House seats and four Senate seats to secure majorities. The Senate threshold is higher because a 50-50 split would leave Vice President Vance with the tie-breaking vote.

Polls and nonpartisan analysts have favored Democrats to capture the House. Reuters noted that Democrats must win roughly 13 of 47 competitive House races if the remaining contests follow expected patterns. In the Senate the map is more difficult for Democrats. They must defend their own seats while flipping at least two states that Trump carried by double digits in 2024. Final New York Times/Siena polls published before election day showed Democratic leads in several battlegrounds, including Texas and Kansas, states that have not elected a Democratic senator since 1988 and 1932 respectively.

Spending on the cycle is projected to reach a record $11.9 billion. Early voting surpassed the total cast before election day in the 2022 midterms, with more than 58 million ballots already returned in some counts. Turnout patterns in key Senate states showed increased shares of registered Democrats in the early vote.

Trump’s approval rating stood near 32 percent in the days before the election, just above a recent low of 31 percent. The economy, the ongoing conflict with Iran and its effect on energy prices, and domestic policy have dominated voter concerns. Republicans have framed the choice as one between their record and Democratic candidates they describe as radical. Democrats have treated the election as a referendum on the first two years of the second Trump administration.

First polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Close races, mail ballot counting rules that vary by state, and possible recounts or legal challenges mean full results may take days or weeks. In 2024 some California House races required three weeks to resolve. Georgia Senate contests without a majority winner proceed to a runoff on 1 December.

The outcome will set the legislative agenda for the next two years. A Democratic House would place the administration under sustained investigative pressure and limit its ability to advance priorities without bipartisan support. A Democratic Senate would further constrain nominations and treaty actions. Republicans defending their majorities have emphasized turnout in their strongholds and have sought to nationalize races around inflation and security issues.

State ballot measures on abortion, congressional redistricting and voter identification are also before voters in multiple states. These measures will operate independently of the federal results but will shape policy in the states that adopt them. The midterms remain the first nationwide test of the political climate halfway through Trump’s second term.

Analysts caution that polling has underestimated Republican turnout in recent cycles. The final distribution of the 435 House seats and the 35 Senate contests will clarify whether the historical pattern of the president’s party losing ground in midterms holds in 2026.