US midterm elections held amid economic strain from inflation, Iran war

Voting in the US midterm elections took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as Americans evaluated President Donald Trump's second-term performance. The elections determined control of all 435 House seats, 35 of the Senate's 100 seats, and governorships in 36 states, including Ohio. Approximately 54.5 million Americans had voted early before Election Day.

Economic conditions dominated voter concerns. Gas prices had risen 40% nationally since late February 2026, when Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched military strikes on Iran, disrupting global oil supplies. In key Senate battleground states, price increases far exceeded national averages: Iowa and Nebraska saw gas prices climb 55%, Kansas 53%, Michigan 51%, Ohio 48%, and Maine 46%. Food prices had also risen steadily, with the 12-month inflation rate reaching 3.7% by September 2026. Trump's tariff policies and the Iran war had both contributed to higher consumer costs. More than half of Republicans (53%) expressed dissatisfaction with the economy, according to NBC News polling.

Three major polling aggregates conducted before Election Day showed Democrats leading: John Zogby Strategies (Democrats 53%, Republicans 47%), YouGov (Democrats 53%, Republicans 44%), and PolityIQ's national average (Democrats 52.7%, Republicans 43.2%). Democrats needed to gain four Senate seats for a net majority and three House seats to control that chamber, according to CNN's "Poll of Polls." Historical trends suggested the president's party typically loses House seats in midterms—18 of the last 20 midterm elections since 1946 resulted in House losses for the sitting president's party.

Key competitive Senate races included Iowa (Democrat Josh Turek vs. others), Nebraska (independent Dan Osborn vs. Republican), Kansas (Democrat Adam Hamilton vs. Republican), Michigan (Democrat Abdul El Sayed vs. Republican Mike Rogers), Ohio (Democrat Sherrod Brown vs. Republican Jon Husted), and Maine (Democrat Troy Jackson vs. Republican Susan Collins). In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico were in a closely watched race. Republican Senate control stood at 53 seats, with Democrats and aligned independents holding 47.

Republican approval faced additional headwinds. Trump's approval ratings had reached historically low levels. Some Republican candidates distanced themselves from Trump, emphasizing local issues instead. Trump had conducted 30 campaign rallies across 20 states in the 32 days before the election, mostly in Republican strongholds. Indian-American candidates featured prominently: Vivek Ramaswamy (Republican) ran for Ohio governor against Democrat Amy Acton; Nitya Raman (Democrat) ran for Los Angeles mayor; and incumbent House members Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, and Suhas Subramanyam sought re-election alongside Democratic challengers Priya Dandia and Amish Shah, both running for the House for the first time.