WASHINGTON, November 3 – The final campaign events for the US midterm elections ended on Monday, with political tensions rising in several states ahead of voting day.
The election will decide control of Congress and could affect President Donald Trump’s ability to push forward his policies during the final two years of his term.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested on Tuesday.
Democrats are seeking to regain control of the House. However, the Senate race remains closely contested.
If Republicans lose control of either chamber, Trump’s administration could face greater challenges in passing legislation. Democrats would also gain more power to investigate government decisions and challenge presidential appointments.
Trump Focuses on Washington Projects in Final Campaign Speech
Trump spent his final major campaign appearance discussing improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.
He also highlighted several other projects planned for the capital.
However, he made a brief appeal to voters, urging them to support Republican candidates.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday, 46 per cent of registered voters said they planned to support Democrats in congressional elections. Meanwhile, 38 per cent said they would vote for Republicans.
Early voting has also reached a record level. About 57 million votes had been cast by Monday afternoon, compared with 45 million votes during the entire 2022 midterm elections.
Michigan Senate Race Draws National Attention
In Michigan, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
He is facing Republican candidate Mike Rogers in a closely contested race.
The campaign became more tense after Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost the party’s primary to El-Sayed, announced her support for Rogers.
Following the endorsement, El-Sayed’s campaign reported raising US$2.4 million on Sunday. It was the campaign’s largest single-day fundraising total.
The race has also attracted attention because of remarks targeting El-Sayed’s Muslim background.
Trump and other Republican figures have questioned his loyalty to the United States. El-Sayed has rejected the accusations and described the comments as shameful.
Supreme Court Rejects California Ballot Challenge
Election disputes have also emerged in California.
On Monday, the US Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s request to temporarily stop the state from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters.
Federal officials had questioned whether some of those voters were US citizens.
California argued that the challenge relied on unclear accusations and could prevent eligible voters from having their ballots counted.
A federal judge also ordered the administration to stop requiring California to separate ballots from people listed as suspected non-citizens.
Alaska Election Dispute Faces Court Challenge
Another election dispute has emerged in Alaska, where two candidates with similar names are contesting the Senate race.
A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to block the certification of election results if Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan narrowly loses.
The department argued that voters could become confused by another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
Democratic candidate Mary Peltola has denied claims that her campaign helped recruit Sullivan Jr. to affect the Republican senator’s chances.
Both Peltola and Sullivan Jr. have also denied coordinating their campaigns.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan said he would accept the election results.
Results Could Shape the Final Two Years of Trump’s Presidency
The midterm elections will determine the balance of power in the US Congress.
The outcome will affect how easily the administration can pass legislation and carry out its political agenda.
It will also determine the level of congressional oversight facing the White House.
With millions of voters already casting their ballots, attention is now turning to Tuesday’s results and the future direction of American politics.
Source : AWANI | Rewritten By Minutesmy
