Americans head to the polls on Tuesday for midterm elections that will determine control of Congress at a moment when President Trump faces record low approval ratings and his party confronts economic headwinds that threaten traditionally safe races.
Voters cite the cost of living as their top concern. Food and fuel prices have risen sharply. Diesel prices reached a record $6.52 per gallon in September, up from $3.75 before the war with Iran began in February. Inflation stands at 3.7%, up from 3% when Trump took office. Economists attribute some of the price increase to Trump's tariffs.
Trump has campaigned heavily ahead of Tuesday's vote, holding dozens of rallies nationwide. He made a closing pitch on Monday at the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. He has urged voters to "pretend" he is on the ballot, though he is not.
The economic picture has left Republicans vulnerable in states they traditionally dominate. Trump won Kansas, Texas, and Ohio by double digits in the last presidential election. Senate races in those states are now competitive, according to polls cited by Stephen Hawkins, global director of research at pollster More in Common.
The Republican Party has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into advertising in traditionally safe contests such as the Kansas Senate race. Carrie Dann, managing editor of the Cook Political Report, told the BBC: "When they start spending hard American dollars on political advertising in a state that they should be winning, that's how you know that they think they're in trouble."
Trump's approval rating stands at approximately 38%, according to final polls. The Democratic Party registers only 29% positive views among voters in the same surveys. Voter frustration does not guarantee Democrats will gain seats.