First polls close in pivotal US midterm elections

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the first polling places closed on Tuesday in the United States’ midterm elections, setting off a night of vote counting in contests that will determine control of Congress. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are at stake, making the results a major test for both parties and a key measure of the political environment heading into the next phase of President Donald Trump’s term.

According to the article, Democrats are trying to regain ground in the House and are also hopeful about winning back the Senate. Their campaign has focused in part on the rising cost of living, while also emphasizing opposition to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, as described by Al Jazeera. Republicans, meanwhile, are defending their majorities and hoping to hold onto vulnerable seats.

One of the earliest indicators is expected from Kentucky’s 6th congressional district, a closely watched race that includes Lexington. There, Democrats have backed U.S. Navy veteran Zach Dembo, who is challenging physician and former state lawmaker Ralph Alvarado, a Trump-endorsed Republican. Al Jazeera says a Republican hold in that district could hint at wider results elsewhere.

The outlet notes that results may continue to arrive through the evening, though some races may not be settled until Wednesday or later as remaining states finish counting ballots and officials release returns.