US midterms: Americans vote in elections seen as referendum on Trump

Americans are voting in midterm elections that could limit President Donald Trump’s power during the final two years of his term. Closely watched Senate contests in Texas and Michigan are also being treated as signs of where the parties stand and how the Democratic Party might shape its approach ahead of 2028.

Texas reported record early voting, with more than 7.7 million people casting ballots, over 40% of registered voters. Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico are in a tight race, despite a reported $168 million in support for Senate Republicans from Elon Musk. In Michigan, progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers; early voter conversations favoured El-Sayed, but the report cautions that these are not representative data. Polls were closing at different times across the six time zones, with Alaska scheduled to close last at 0500 GMT.