US midterms: Republicans could gain control of House, but many polls still too close to call

The Republican Party is en route to take control of the US House of Representatives after Americans voted in crucial midterm elections.

However, the race for the Senate is proving critical for Republicans and Democrats, with key states still considered too close to call.

One such state was Pennsylvania, where Democrat John Fetterman flipped a key Senate seat after defeating Republican Mehmet Oz.

Now, the battle for the Senate rests on four states: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin.

At 218 seats, Republicans are 18 seats away from taking control of the House of Representatives. Democrats lag behind with 174 seats. Either party needs 218 seats to secure control.

Many Republican candidates who were backed by former president Donald Trump underperformed in these elections, including Mehmet Oz. This is bad news for Trump, who was rumoured to announce a presidential re-election bid for 2024. 

Trump-endorsed Republican Tudor Dixon lost a gubernatorial race in Michigan, while former newscaster Kari Lake trails behind Democratic governor Katie Hobbs in Arizona.

Blake Masters, endorsed by Trump for the Arizona senate seat, also lagged in the race against Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly.
All this was made worse for Trump after Republican governor Ron DeSantis, a possible 2024 contender, secured re-election by a landslide.

The US Congress is a bicameral system that includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress is America’s main legislative body, while the President serves as the executive branch of government.

As things stand, the Democratic Party holds control of Congress.

But if the Republican Party secures a majority in Congress in these elections, Biden will have a more difficult time trying to align his agenda with that of a Republican-controlled Congress.

Midterm elections in the US take place two years into the president’s term. In these elections, Americans vote for several local and state officials, including Congressional members.

This is the first election since the January 6 Capitol riots and the overruling of Roe v Wade, which established abortion as a constitutional right in America.

Meanwhile, immigration and border control issues are as dominant as they were when Trump was first elected to office.

But Inflation has been a the top issue for many in this election, with prices up by 8.3% over the last year.