Americans vote in midterms as Trump faces anger over prices and Iran war
- Americans voted on Tuesday in midterm elections seen as a verdict on President Donald Trump.
- Democrats need three House gains and four Senate seats to take control of Congress.
- Voters are angry over high living costs and the war with Iran, while Trump questions election integrity.
Americans went to the polls on Tuesday in midterm elections that amount to a nationwide verdict on President Donald Trump's second term, with control of both chambers of Congress at stake.
All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested, along with governorships in 36 states. Democrats need just three House gains and a net four Senate seats to take both chambers from the Republicans, according to Channels TV and Vanguard.
For Nigerians, the outcome matters beyond Washington. The US is a major trade partner and a big buyer of Nigerian crude, and the war with Iran has already pushed up fuel costs and shipping risks. A Congress controlled by a different party could also reshape US policy on Africa, aid and immigration.
Prices and war drive the mood
Trump returned to office last year promising to bring down prices. But inflation, tariffs and fuel costs inflated by the Middle East conflict have squeezed American households, and his approval rating has hovered near the low 30s, the reports said.
The war began in February after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. On Monday, US officials said limited strikes hit Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, after an attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on a US aircraft. Iran's state news agency IRNA reported explosions on the island.
Trump told Axios he was in "no rush" to intensify operations, saying: "We crippled them financially." Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, told IRNA that "very intensive" talks to end the war were under way through intermediaries.
Republicans insist Trump's tax cuts and immigration crackdown will benefit Americans, and they portray Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed Trump's final campaign speech, which dwelt on a Washington pool renovation, as a "pathetic closing message."
What happens next
More than 57 million Americans voted early, and the campaign drew over $11 billion in political advertising. Decision Desk HQ's final forecast projected 241 House seats for Democrats against 194 for Republicans, and a 52-48 Democratic Senate majority.
Attention will quickly turn to whether results are accepted. Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 defeat, has repeatedly alleged voter fraud and accused Democrats of cheating without evidence. His Justice Department has sued 30 states and Washington DC for voter lists, losing more than two dozen cases, and the Supreme Court rejected its bid to set aside mail-in ballots in California.
Trump, who will watch results at the White House, said he could simply block Democratic legislation: "I veto everything."
