Staff Reporter

Opposition Democratic Party candidates are leading in the preliminary results of the US midterm elections. Democratic candidates have won a significant number of seats in the House of Representatives, while the party has also made gains in the Senate. If the current trend continues in the final results, President Donald Trump’s Republican Party could lose control of Congress.

Trump won the presidential election in November 2024 and was sworn in on January 20, 2025. When he took office, Republicans held majorities in both chambers of Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate.

According to the BBC, unofficial results for 103 seats in the House of Representatives show that Democratic candidates have won 71 seats, while Republican candidates have secured 32.

Meanwhile, unofficial results have been announced for 16 of the 35 Senate seats being contested. Of these, Democratic candidates have won 11 seats and Republican candidates five.

In this election, voting is taking place for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats. A party needs at least 218 seats to secure a majority in the House, while 51 seats are required for a Senate majority.

If the current trend continues, Democrats could take control of the House of Representatives. The possibility of the party gaining control of the Senate is also being discussed. Losing control of both chambers could create significant obstacles for the Trump administration in passing legislation and shaping policies.

In particular, if Democrats gain control of the House, they would have greater opportunities to investigate various decisions and activities of the Trump administration. On the other hand, losing control of the Senate could create challenges for the administration in securing approval for Supreme Court nominees and appointments to senior government positions.

This election is being viewed as a kind of public verdict on Trump's leadership and policies. Rising living costs, inflation, tariff policies and the conflict involving Iran have emerged as major issues in the election campaign.

When he returned to power last year, Trump had promised to reduce the cost of living. However, inflation, higher tariffs and rising energy prices amid the conflict in the Middle East have raised concerns among Americans about the cost of living.

Taylor Cook, a voter in Los Angeles, told AFP that controlling living costs and ensuring oversight of the Trump administration were important issues for him in this election.

The 24-year-old voter cited rising expenses for rent, essential goods, utility bills and property taxes, saying he wanted to elect representatives who would take effective steps to reduce these costs.

Meanwhile, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has expressed optimism about the election results. He said the United States was on the verge of a “dramatic change” and that Democrats were poised to regain control of the House of Representatives.