Americans vote Tuesday in midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, with economic distress reshaping the political landscape.
Food and fuel prices have risen sharply. Diesel peaked at $6.52 per gallon in September, up from $3.75 before the war with Iran began in February. Inflation has increased to 3.7% from 3% when Trump took office. Economists attribute the rise partly to Trump's tariffs.
Voters across multiple states cite high costs as their top concern. In Iowa, a state Trump won in 2024, some Republican voters say his policies make them less likely to back Republican candidates. "As a Republican myself, I would think it might be detrimental," Paul Ross said outside a college football game in Iowa. Another voter, Rose Heming, said: "He's got us in the war. Prices and groceries are high - sky high - gas is sky high."
Trump has campaigned extensively, appearing in traditionally safe Republican states including Iowa and Kansas. His approval rating stands at 38%, according to final NBC polling. But only 29% of voters view the Democratic Party positively, the same polls show.
Republicans have spent hundreds of millions on advertising in states like Kansas that typically favor them, a signal of concern about races they expected to win. 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 has asked voters to "pretend" he is on the ballot, a plea reflecting uncertainty about whether his candidacy remains an asset to his party. Some Republican voters express frustration with his interventions abroad without abandoning Republican affiliation, suggesting Democratic gains may face limits.