Live Updates: U.S. Midterms

Trump’s Republicans Face a “Blue Shock”

If the Democrats win both chambers, Trump would become a “lame duck”—and would be unable to pass many laws through the traditional legislative process.(Bild: Krone-Collage/AP/Charlie Riedel, AFP/CHIP SOMODEVILLA)

Tonight, millions of Americans are called upon to elect a new Congress. While it seems all but certain that the Democrats will win the House of Representatives, polls indicate that the race for the Senate is tighter. Follow all the developments in the “Krone” live updates. 

• The situation: The Democrats must gain at least four seats in the Senate to take control of the chamber with the help of two independent senators (Bernie Sanders and Angus King).
• According to polls, Republicans face the threat of a “blue wave” in both chambers. However, pollsters in the U.S. have had a particularly hard time reaching Trump voters. Consequently, polls in recent years have been unreliable.

• It will be interesting to see whether U.S. President Donald Trump accepts defeat. In the U.S., the current administration’s policies are typically “punished” in the midterms. 
• The last polling place closes at 7 a.m. Central European Time in Alaska. Trends should be apparent by then.
• Breaking news: In the home stretch, the Republicans are getting support from aprominent Democrat of all people.

Follow all the developments in the “Krone” live ticker:

What’s up for election?
In the U.S., the midterms (interim elections) are held to elect a new Congress. Hundreds of direct elections are taking place simultaneously across the country. This means candidates are elected, not party lists. 

Congress consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. They are essentially comparable to the National Council and the Federal Council in Austria. In the House of Representatives, all 435 seats are up for election for a two-year term. In the Senate, about one-third (35 out of 100 seats) are up for election on a rotating basis. The term of office is six years.

The midterm elections are the most important test of public sentiment during a president’s term—even though he is not on the ballot. A loss of the majority in the House of Representatives—or even in both chambers of Congress—would turn 80-year-old Trump into a “lame duck.” The Democrats could then block his agenda and possibly initiate a third impeachment proceeding against Trump.

In addition to congressional seats, this year’s midterm elections will also see the governor’s offices in 36 U.S. states, as well as numerous local offices (mayors, sheriffs, and others), up for election. The political landscape could thus change drastically.