Voting in the 2026 United States midterm elections is under way, with control of Congress at stake and the results set to shape the remainder of the Trump administration, according to 日本経済新聞, which is running live coverage of the count. The paper frames the contest as a fight between Democrats and Republicans over which party holds the majority.
Early voting has drawn heavy interest. 読売新聞 reports that the number of ballots cast before election day is more than 30 percent higher than in the previous midterms, and that a large volume of postal voting may stretch out the counting process. 毎日新聞 is also carrying rolling results coverage, with attention focused on what the outcome means for the administration.
Two factors could prove decisive. CNN reports that evangelical voters are important to Republicans, and examines whether the party can bring in so-called "drop-off" voters who do not turn out in every election. Separately, ニューズウィーク日本版 reports a late rebellion within the Democratic Party over policy toward Israel, which it says is clouding the party's hopes of taking back the Senate.
With ballots still being counted, no outcome has been established. The next thing to watch is how quickly results come in from postal and early votes, and whether either party secures a majority in the Senate and the House.
