2026 US midterms: Polls open as Democrats seek to flip Congress

Voting began Tuesday in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, with Democrats aiming to flip a chamber of Congress and challenge President Donald Trump's agenda in his first national test since returning to office. Polls opened across several East Coast states, including New York, Virginia, and Maine, as Americans decide whether to drastically shift power in Washington. The election is framed as a referendum on Trump's second term, with voters expressing anger over high prices and an unpopular war with Iran. The Associated Press reported that the midterms will determine control of Congress and significantly impact the president's ability to enact his legislative priorities. Results are expected to come in throughout the evening as polls close across the country.