On the first evening of November 2026, as polls closed in Indiana and Kentucky and the clock moved across the time zones, a nation that had already cast nearly sixty million early ballots turned to a single question: who will hold the levers of Congress for the next two years. The contest is less a simple choice between candidates than a verdict on a presidency in its second term, with voters weighing prices, a faltering economy, immigration and a distant war against their own daily worries. Early surveys suggest a country weary and unhappy, and many who once backed the president now doubt him
US Midterms Open as Polls Close in Indiana and Kentucky; Control of Congress Hangs in the Balance
No race called yet, and the balance of Congress is wide open
Mark
Polls just closed in Indiana and Kentucky. Why does anyone care, if neither state is expected to flip?
Mimi
Because the early returns are a read on the House. Republicans hold seven of Indiana's nine seats, and the state had a redistricting fight. Those results are an early look at the mood.
Mark
And that mood looks bad for Republicans?
Mimi
CNN's preliminary voter poll has about six in 10 disapproving of Trump, and two-thirds saying he worsened the economy. About one in five of his 2024 voters now disapprove.
Luke
Careful, though. Those are preliminary exit-style surveys, not results. They show who is unhappy, not how seats will fall.
Mark
There's also a report that Trump privately expects a major defeat.
Luke
That's CNN citing unnamed sources familiar with the conversations. It's attributed, not confirmed by Trump himself.
Mimi
Still, it fits the polling, which leans toward a Democratic House and calls the Senate too close.
Mark
What would a Democratic win actually change?
Mimi
More power to investigate and scrutinize, and to block parts of his agenda. But he keeps the veto and wide executive powers, and he has said he might use it.
Luke
And nobody knows the outcome yet. No race had been called at the last update, and close ones could take days.
Le Pouls
- Polls began closing at 6 p.m. Eastern, and the first results opened a national count that will not settle quickly.
- Nearly three in four voters say the country is headed the wrong way, and about six in ten disapprove of Trump's performance.
- Democrats need only three House seats and four Senate seats to flip control, while Republicans scramble to defend narrow majorities.
- Fulton County machine jams and a power failure forced ballot rescans in public view, testing confidence in the process.
- Opinion polls favor a Democratic House, but the Senate remains too close to call and no major race had been called yet.
On the first evening of November 2026, as polls closed in Indiana and Kentucky and the clock moved across the time zones, a nation that had already cast nearly sixty million early ballots turned to a single question: who will hold the levers of Congress for the next two years. The contest is less a simple choice between candidates than a verdict on a presidency in its second term, with voters weighing prices, a faltering economy, immigration and a distant war against their own daily worries. Early surveys suggest a country weary and unhappy, and many who once backed the president now doubt him. The final shape of power will not be known for hours or perhaps days, as the tightest races in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan and elsewhere work through their counts.
At 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, polls began closing in Indiana and Kentucky, the first signal of the 2026 midterm count. In India it was already 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Across the country, all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were on the ballot, along with governor's races in 36 states, and control of Congress hung in the balance.
The vote was widely read as a referendum on Donald Trump's second term. Nearly 60 million Americans had already voted early, more than in the 2022 midterms, a sign of how much was at stake. Early exit and voter polls from CNN and NBC painted a picture of deep discontent: about six in ten disapproved of the president, roughly two-thirds said his policies had worsened the economy, and about one in five who backed him in 2024 now turned against him. CNN also reported that Trump had privately predicted a major defeat for Republicans.
The fiercest fights were in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan, where candidates such as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed hoped voters would see that America is big enough for them all. Process worries surfaced too. Justice Department monitors were deployed in all 50 states, and in Georgia's Fulton County machine problems affected around 1,000 early ballots, which officials promised to rescan openly.
No major House or Senate race had been called at the latest update. Democrats looked likely to win the House, but the Senate remained uncertain, and even a shift in Congress would leave Trump with his veto and wide executive powers.
At 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, polls began closing in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, the first signal that the 2026 US midterm count had begun. In India that moment landed at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4. Both states span two time zones, so counties in the Central time zone followed an hour later, at 7 p.m. ET.
What is at stake is control of Congress. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, along with governor's races in 36 states. Democrats need a net gain of three House seats and four Senate seats to take either chamber. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both. The election is widely read as a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term, with voters weighing the economy, rising living costs, immigration and the conflict with Iran.
Turnout started well before Tuesday. Nearly 60 million Americans had already voted, through early in-person voting and mail ballots, a total that surpasses the early vote in the 2022 midterms.
Preliminary findings from CNN's Voter Poll point to deep discontent. Nearly three in four voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the country, and almost four in 10 describe themselves as angry. About six in 10 disapprove of Trump's performance, nearly half of them strongly. Around two-thirds say he has made economic conditions worse, and many blame his policies for higher prices. About one in five of those who voted for him in 2024 now disapprove. Early results from NBC News' exit poll also suggest many voters cast ballots against Trump, holding him responsible for high prices and a weakening economy. CNN also reported, citing sources familiar with the conversations, that Trump has privately acknowledged the night could be a worst-case scenario for Republicans and predicted a major defeat.
Opinion polls lean toward a Democratic win in the House, while the Senate remains too close to call. Attention is on Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Alaska and Michigan. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico faces Republican Ken Paxton. In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff defends his seat against Republican Congressman Mike Collins. In North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper faces Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, for the open seat left by Thom Tillis's retirement. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed played down the furor over Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsing his Republican rival, Mike Rogers. El-Sayed said he was running to be Michigan's next senator, not the first Muslim senator, and hoped the result would show that "America is big enough."
The first polls to close offer little suspense statewide. Neither Indiana nor Kentucky is expected to flip. Kentucky's Senate seat is open for the first time since 2010 after Mitch McConnell's retirement, with Republican Rep. Andy Barr facing Democrat Charles Booker; no Democrat has won a Kentucky Senate race since 1992. The early returns matter more as a read on the House, where Republicans hold seven of Indiana's nine seats, and where a redistricting fight shaped last spring's primaries. Central Kentucky also has an open House seat.
Process issues surfaced during the day. The Justice Department deployed about 1,000 monitors across all 50 states, calling it the largest election-monitoring effort in its history. In Georgia's Fulton County, machine problems at two polling sites affected around 1,000 early-voting ballots: repeated paper jams at one, a power issue at the other that raised concerns about data corruption. Officials said they would rescan the ballots in public view.
As of the Guardian's latest tracker update cited here, no House or Senate race had been called. Tight contests could take hours or days, so the balance of power may not be clear right away. Even a Democratic takeover would leave Trump with his veto, which he has already said he could use, and broad executive powers.
Citations marquantes
America is big enough.— Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan
Trump has privately acknowledged the midterms could be a worst-case scenario for Republicans, predicting a major defeat.— CNN, citing sources familiar with the conversations
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