- Midterms are a referendum on Trump's two-year presidential performance.
- Roughly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of presidency.
- Voters angry over high costs, seeking checks on presidential power.
US Midterm Elections Results 2026 Updates: Tuesday's midterms will be a referendum of US President Donald Trump's performance over the last two years. History, polling and early voting numbers suggest it could be a difficult night for Trump’s Republican Party, though the political map, not to mention a fresh round of gerrymandering, could limit Democratic gains. According to the early voting trends analysed by the Associated Press, nearly six out of 10 voters vented frustration over Trump's handling of presidency in the past two years, especially the waging of war against Iran. Voters opined the conflict in the Middle East triggered massive inflation in America.
Trump is polling the lowest approval rating: CBS Exit Poll
A CBS News Exit poll show that the Trump is polling the lowest approval rating for a president in a midterm election. This is currently at 38 per cent. CBS says that its exit polls show roughly three-quarters of voters are at least dissatisfied with the direction of the country. More voters have negative views of the economy now than they did two years ago. The CBS poll says that most Americans think that the US made the wrong decision to take military action in Iran.
President Trump is already bracing for a brutal night. In a Telephonic interview to CBS News before polls closed the US President said, "I have the ultimate power — it's called veto," when he was asked about the prospect of a Democratic-controlled Congress next year. Trump further said that his veto power could eventually force Democrats to cut bipartisan deals with him, should they make gains.
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Meanwhile Polls have closed in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, as well as parts of Indiana and Kentucky, marking some of the first closures of Election Day as voters decide control of Congress and several key gubernatorial and state legislative races. In a first projection, Fox News reported that Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner is projected to win another term in the Senate beating Bert Mizusawa, a former major general in the military who has forayed into politics.
Voters are angry or dissastisfied with Trump: AP Voter Poll
Voters are in the mood for change, according to the AP Voter Poll, which found that roughly three-quarters of voters say they feel "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the country today. Most appear to blame the Trump administration for high costs. About 6 in 10 say higher than usual prices are "more because of Trump's policies" rather than "more because of factors outside Trump’s control." Additionally, about 70 per cent of voters want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the presidency.
Democrats are looking to win majorities in the House and Senate, which would curb Trump’s power after he’s faced few limits from a compliant Republican-controlled Congress. Several key governors' offices also are up for grabs.
More than 59 million Americans already had voted before Tuesday, but many more ballots will be cast on Election Day, and government watchdog groups worry that Trump and his loyalists could interfere with the voting process. Fearing a worst-case scenario, Democrats and nonpartisan watchdogs have trained tens of thousands of volunteers to monitor polling places.
The Republican president is trying to defy history, which shows that in almost every modern midterm election the party in the White House has lost seats in Congress, sometimes many of them.
Democrats certainly hope that’s the case this year. The party is optimistic, given Trump’s dismal approval ratings and voter concerns about the war with Iran and the surging price of gas and other daily necessities.
6 in 10 disapprove handling of presidency: AP Poll suggests
The AP Voter Poll, an expansive survey of the electorate, suggests most are deeply unhappy with Trump, with roughly 6 in 10 saying they disapprove of how he’s handling the presidency.
About 4 in 10 say the economy is the most important issue facing the country, while 3 in 10 say the most important issue is democracy, according to the poll, well above the number who said the same about crime, healthcare and immigration.
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Trump is betting that his base of white working-class voters, which fueled his presidential victories in 2016 and 2024, can save his Republican allies if they show up in great numbers. Heading into Election Day, however, there are signs that Democrats are more fired up to vote against him and his party.
The outcome of Tuesday's midterm will have huge implications over Republican's next presidential race.
(With inputs from PTI via AP)