US midterms: Trump faces major political setback as Democrats make early gains in House race

Democrats had established an early advantage in the contest for control of the US House, with their candidates ahead in 105 races against 55 for Republicans, according to initial returns from Tuesday’s midterm elections.

By the time this report was updated, preliminary results were continuing to show Democrats ahead in the race for the House.

Democrats are seeking to wrest control of the House and potentially the Senate from Republicans, a result that could severely constrain President Donald Trump’s agenda and weaken his grip on the capital for the final two years of his presidency.

The early figures represent leads in individual races, not confirmed victories, and the picture could change as more votes are counted. All 435 House seats are being contested, with Democrats needing a net gain of three to take control of the chamber. Republicans entered the election with a narrow majority.

A Democratic House majority would give the party the power to block or delay Trump’s legislative priorities and launch wide-ranging congressional investigations into his administration. Winning the Senate would also allow Democrats to obstruct the president’s nominations for senior government posts and federal judgeships.

The election has become a nationwide test of Trump’s leadership as Republicans face mounting voter discontent over the rising cost of living, tariffs and the war against Iran, which has pushed up energy prices.

All 35 Senate seats up for election and governorships in 36 states are also being contested. Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take control, having entered the election facing a 53-47 Republican majority.

As the first polls began closing in Kentucky and Indiana, House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters in Washington that the country was “on the brink of a dramatic change of direction”.

“We’re on the brink of Democrats taking back control of the House of Representatives,” he predicted.

Trump returned to the White House last year promising to bring down prices, but inflation, tariffs and higher fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict have squeezed household budgets.

The 80-year-old president’s approval rating has remained near historic lows, adding to the pressure on Republicans as they defend their congressional majorities.

Taylor Cook, a Los Angeles voter, told AFP that affordability and reining in the Trump administration were the two biggest issues influencing her vote.

“Rent, groceries, utility bills, and property taxes keep climbing, and I want people in Congress who will actually do something about costs,” the 24-year-old said.

Economic discontent

Trump defended his record in a final TV phone-in pitch to voters on Tuesday, saying he had rebuilt the country through his immigration crackdown, war on Iran and tariffs.

“We have to keep America great. We’re great now. We were terrible two years ago,” Trump told “Fox & Friends.”

Republicans insist that Trump’s tax cuts and anti-migrant stance will benefit voters, and they have portrayed Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals — a message that has seemed to resonate with some voters.

“Democrats used to be decent in the past but they became very socialist,” Maru Restrepo, a 70-year-old voter of Colombian origin, told AFP in Miami.

Trump has campaigned to help Republicans, but polls show he may have weighed them down instead.

In his final public appearance on Monday, Trump barely touched on the election and gave a rambling talk about his problem-plagued renovation of Washington’s Reflecting Pool.

“He’s done everything that was needed. Republicans are in a better spot now than they were four weeks ago,” a White House official told AFP.

But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer branded Trump’s final speech “pathetic.”

Disputed results?

The Senate is a steep hill for Democrats to climb.

While Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, the angry mood had extended the battlefield into once reliably conservative states like Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska.

But Democrats must defend competitive seats, including in Michigan, where a bitter internal dispute saw Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorse Republican Mike Rogers rather than the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Decision Desk HQ’s final forecast projected 241 House seats for Democrats against 194 for Republicans, and a narrower 52-48 Democratic Senate majority.

The campaign has attracted more than $11 billion in political advertising, and mega-rich Trump ally Elon Musk has poured nearly half a billion dollars into Republican efforts.

Concerns were high that Republicans — especially Trump — will refuse to accept results if they lose.

Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat, has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud and accused Democrats — with no evidence — of cheating.

Voting machines malfunctioned in a hotly contested House race in New York state on Tuesday, prompting right-wing influencers to fling unfounded allegations of fraud even as local election officials insisted all ballots would be counted.