8th November, 2022
The United States begins its midterm elections Tuesday to determine who controls the US Congress, made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Candidates have made their closing arguments to voters across the country ahead of the pivotal midterm elections.
Currently both are controlled by President Joe Biden’s Democrats, and the Republicans are predicted to take the House, according to CNN.
The BBC reports that the battle to control the Senate is on a knife-edge and too close to call. Losing either chamber would make the next two years very difficult for Biden as Republicans would attempt to block legislation.
Americans are also electing 36 state governors, they could do things like pass new abortion laws in states. Dozens of governorships, secretaries of states and attorneys general are also on the ballot.
According to CNN, more than 41 million pre-election ballots have been cast in 47 states. Pre-election voting has been ahead of 2018 levels in states where data is available for the last three cycles.
Donald Trump used his final rally to suggest he would make an announcement next week that he is running for president again in 2024.
In the House of Representatives, the Democrats controls 220 seats while the Republicans holds 212 seats, with three seats vacant.
To gain control of the House, a party must win 218 seats. As it stands, the Republicans just need an overall gain of six seats to win the House.
At the Senate, the equation is balance. Republicans have control 50 seats, Democrats, 48 seats and Independent candidates, two seats, but they are in support of the Democrats.