US midterm elections: Trump’s grip on Congress at stake
Americans are voting in midterm elections that could reshape the final two years of Donald Trump’s second presidency, with Republicans defending narrow majorities in both chambers of the US Congress.
The US-Israeli war on Iran and its economic fallout have put pressure on the Republicans. Fuel costs have squeezed households and businesses, with diesel prices reaching a record high in September.
Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for worsening the global diesel shortage, repeatedly urging Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to halt the strikes. He has also reached a deal with Moscow to secure additional supplies. Zelensky has rejected the criticism, accusing Trump of “deflecting the focus away from Iran.”
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are being contested, alongside governorships in 36 states. Polling stations are open across the eastern US, following weeks of early voting in which more than 57 million people cast ballots, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
Support for Israel and funding for Ukraine have also exposed divisions over Washington’s priorities and spending abroad. A Democratic takeover could obstruct the Trump administration’s legislative agenda and open the way for investigations into the president. RT host Rick Sanchez projects an opposition victory in the lower chamber and two years of political gridlock, but questions whether either party would fundamentally change American foreign policy.
Calls for an alternative to the longstanding two-party system have also raised the question of whether independent candidates can turn public dissatisfaction into electoral gains.
Follow every turn here, from the polling stations to the battle for a majority. RT will bring you breaking developments, results, and reaction throughout the vote and count, with special coverage featuring Rick Sanchez in Moscow, Ben Swann in Miami, and Scottie Nell Hughes and John Kiriakou in Washington.
03 November 2026
15:28 GMTMichigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers has praised Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens for endorsing him and criticized rival Abdul El-Sayed’s views on Israel, NBC News reports.
Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed, backed Rogers on Sunday following disagreements with her party’s nominee over Israel and her participation in his campaign events.
El-Sayed has accused Republicans of diverting attention from voters’ concerns about the economy and high living costs.
- 15:14 GMT
Spending on federal races is projected to reach about $12 billion this cycle, making it the most expensive midterm election on record, according to campaign finance tracker OpenSecrets, cited by ABC News.
NEW: Ad spending in federal and gubernatorial elections this cycle has crossed $7B cycle-to-date—with $1.4B in the last two weeks alone. Our latest breaks down: • Spending across platforms • Senate map shifts • Super PACs dominate • $187M on AI ads https://t.co/7xOZ9uyOtx
— WesleyanMediaProject (@wesmediaproject) October 30, 2026Advertising across House, Senate, and gubernatorial contests exceeded $7.1 billion through October 25, including nearly $1.4 billion in the preceding two weeks, the Wesleyan Media Project found.
- 15:03 GMT
US weapons manufacturers benefiting from massive Pentagon contracts are pouring millions into the election campaign, RT’s Caleb Maupin reports from New York.
“The military industrial complex really has nothing to worry about. They are set to win 100%,” Maupin says, examining donations to Republican and Democratic candidates.
Watch the full report below.
- 14:52 GMT
RT International will provide special live coverage of the US midterm elections overnight on November 3-4, with broadcasts from multiple locations across the United States and Moscow.
America Now host Ben Swann will report from a studio in Miami, Florida, featuring augmented reality graphics displaying election results and vote counts.
America First host Scottie Nell Hughes and Deep State host John Kiriakou will broadcast from a new studio in Washington, DC, overlooking the US Capitol.
Rick Sanchez will join the special election night coverage live from Moscow.
The broadcast will bring together RT hosts across three locations to follow the latest developments, vote counting, and election results as Americans decide the balance of power in Congress.
RT’s special coverage begins at 11 PM Moscow time (20:00 GMT) on November 3.
- 14:43 GMT
Voters in Idaho, Missouri, Nevada and Virginia are deciding abortion-related ballot measures alongside Tuesday’s congressional races.
The proposals reflect continuing divisions over reproductive rights following the US Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn nationwide constitutional protections for abortion.
- 14:38 GMT
Heavy rain and flash flooding have disrupted access to polling locations in parts of the Southwest, AP reports.
Officials in the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, announced changes to several voting sites. Utah also authorized electronic ballots for affected residents of San Juan County unable to reach a polling station or ballot drop box.
