00:00Today, America votes, and the balance of power in Washington hangs on what happens in the next few
00:05hours. This is the midterm election, the first nationwide vote since the presidential race of
00:112024, and every seat in the House of Representatives is on the ballot. All 435 House seats, 35 of the
00:19100 Senate seats, and 36 governorships are being decided today. More than 51 million ballots had
00:28already been cast before Election Day through early voting and mail ballots. That early vote alone is
00:36already bigger than the early vote in the last midterms, and millions more will vote in person
00:40today. Republicans go into today holding both chambers, but by very thin margins. In the Senate,
00:48it is 53 Republicans to 47 Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control.
00:54Because at 50-50, the Republican vice president breaks the tie. That is why every single Senate
01:02seat matters tonight. In the House, Republicans hold 218 seats to 214 for Democrats, with two seats
01:11vacant and one independent. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to reach 218 and take the
01:18speaker's gavel. Three seats. That is how close the House is. A handful of districts could decide who
01:26writes America's laws for the next two years. So what are voters deciding? Start with the cost of living.
01:35Prices for food, housing, and health care have dominated this campaign. Polls put Democrats ahead
01:42nationally by roughly nine points on the generic ballot, and the president's approval was around 37% in early
01:48October. But a national lead does not automatically become seats. Ten states redrew their House maps
01:56mid-decade, putting roughly 40% of House seats on unfamiliar ground. Then there is the money. Political
02:04advertising this cycle is projected at a record $11.6 billion, more than any race before it, including
02:10the presidential race. The Senate map is where the suspense lives. Seven races are rated toss-ups,
02:16and most of them are seats Republicans currently hold. Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Alaska, Iowa, and Maine are
02:26all in play, with North Carolina and Kansas also in the mix. In Texas, the Senate contest alone is
02:34expected to draw around $446 million in advertising. History is not on the president's side. In 20 of the
02:42last 22 midterms, the president's party lost ground. President Trump has called these midterms a referendum
02:50on his first 20 months back in office, telling voters to act as if he were on the ballot himself.
02:57He is not on the ballot, but his final two years depend on it. A friendly Congress advances his plans.
03:03A hostile
03:04House can block bills, control spending, and open investigations. If Democrats win the House only,
03:11divided government returns. The Senate would still confirm judges and senior officials.
03:17If Democrats win both chambers, they control the agenda and confirmations. But the president can
03:23still veto bills, and overriding a veto needs two-thirds majorities. And there is one more thing on the
03:30ballot in many states. 145 statewide ballot measures, many of them about how elections themselves are run.
03:38When will we know? The first polls close at 6 in the evening eastern time in Indiana and Kentucky,
03:44and the last polls close in Alaska at about 1 in the morning. Most races will be called tonight,
03:51but control of the House could take days. Some close races and slow counts always take longer.
03:58States then certify results over the following weeks, and the new Congress is sworn in on January 3,
04:042027. For the latest live updates and trending news, visit our website newsplusglobe.org.
04:13For live updates, follow News Plus Globe on every platform and subscribe on YouTube.
04:20America votes today. The polls are open, the count begins tonight,
04:24and the balance of power is about to change, or hold, by just a few seats.
