First polls close in US midterms that will decide control of Congress
Polls have begun closing in the US midterm elections held on Tuesday 3 November, which will decide control of Congress for the rest of Donald Trump's second term. The winner may not be clear until tomorrow or later this week.
The first polling stations have closed in the United States midterm elections on Tuesday 3 November. Voters are deciding whether Democrats or Republicans will control Congress, which will shape President Donald Trump's ability to advance his agenda over the next two years. The vote comes roughly halfway through his second term.
The first polls to close were in Indiana and Kentucky. Because parts of both states lie in the central time zone, some polling places stay open until 7pm Eastern Time (ET). Polls then close in Florida and Virginia (7pm), Ohio and North Carolina (7:30pm) and Pennsylvania (8pm). These states could offer early signs of whether Democrats achieve the sweeping win they are hoping for, or whether Republicans defy the polls and keep control. It is possible that no clear picture will emerge until tomorrow or later this week.
The source reports that early voting has reached record levels and that turnout is significantly higher than in the 2022 midterms. Trump is not on the ballot, but the election is widely seen as a referendum on the country's direction under his Republican party. The president is described as almost unprecedentedly unpopular, and Democrats are aiming for wins in seats that for decades seemed out of reach.
Texas governor's race
In Texas, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, 52, a civil rights and labour lawyer, is challenging incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott. No Democrat has won a Texas governor's race since Ann Richards in 1990. Hinojosa says the contest is within the margin of error, criticises cuts to public education and says the Latino vote will be crucial. She noted that in 2018 Beto O'Rourke won 64% of Latino voters in his Senate race.
