Six Factors To Watch In The U.S. Election Have Been Identified

• 2.11.2026, 16:11

Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, and Texas will be key states.

The U.S. midterm elections on November 3 will determine whether the Republican Party retains control of Congress or whether the Democrats will be able to limit the power of President Donald Trump during the final two years of his term. The vote will be the “first nationwide verdict” on Trump’s presidency and will shape the political landscape ahead of the 2028 election, writes The Straits Times (translation by Charter97.org).

The publication highlights six key factors to watch.
The first is the battle for Congress. The Democrats need to gain four additional seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They will likely retake the House, but the race for the Senate remains tight. The elections in Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, and Texas could prove pivotal.

Second—the vote count. Disputes over voter registration, ballots, and the certification of results could lead to legal proceedings and delays.

Third—Trump’s reaction. Particular attention will be focused on whether the president acknowledges a possible Republican defeat. In 2020, he declared victory before the vote count was complete.
Fourth—voter turnout. Democrats are more motivated to vote, but young, Black, and Latino voters may turn out in smaller numbers than expected.

Fifth—the race for 2028. The results will strengthen the position of either the moderate or the left wing of the Democratic Party in the debate over the future presidential nominee.

Sixth—money. Republicans spent several hundred million dollars more on the campaign than the Democrats. Elon Musk has invested about $366 million to support Republican candidates, while Trump has spent more than $277 million on campaigning for his party’s candidates. It will now become clear whether this advantage helped convince voters or whether dissatisfaction with the high cost of living and the war with Iran had a stronger impact.