US voters prepare to deliver verdict on Trump

Election Day has arrived, with voters across the nation determining which party will control the U.S. House and Senate. Democrats need to win four Senate seats and three House seats to take control of the chambers from Republican hands. If Democrats succeed, they will have a means to counter President Donald Trump's agenda during his final two years in office. Much of the contest is unfolding in states and districts that Trump had won by large margins in the past.

Democrats are aiming to flip the Senate in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas, while House battlegrounds span the country. Democrats have targeted Trump's low approval rating, public discontent with the Iran war, and concerns about affordability. Republicans have emphasized social issues, while Trump has positioned himself as the central figure of the midterms.

Latino voters, who played a crucial role in Trump's 2024 victory, are expected to have a significant impact in the midterms. The path to a U.S. House majority lies through heavily Latino districts in states like Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, and Texas. Similarly, the key Senate race in Texas hinges on Latino voters.

Approximately 60% of Hispanic adults disapprove of Trump's presidency and economy management, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. Progressives are optimistic that El-Sayed's victory could demonstrate their agenda's appeal in a pivotal battleground state ahead of the next presidential election.