MEDINA, OHIO, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Early voting begins on Tuesday in Ohio, where the winners of November’s midterm elections will help determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the US Congress for the next two years, given the state has one Senate seat and two House seats seen as “Toss Ups” by Cook Political Report.
When polls open across the Midwestern state early on Tuesday, voters will be casting ballots at a time when discontent throughout the United States runs deep, especially over rising prices.
The political party out of power usually benefits in midterm elections and with Republicans holding the White House and both chambers of Congress at a time when President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at a record-low 32%, Democrats are feeling increasingly competitive less than a month before the November 3 elections.
INFLATION, WAR ON BALLOT
Political analysts will be watching closely what unfolds in Ohio, as Trump has been a dominant force, especially among blue-collar workers who used to align with the Democratic Party.
But with inflation running at around 3.4%, every visit to a grocery store stirs that discontent because of rising food prices, but also due to rapidly escalating energy and housing costs.
The US war with Iran, launched by Trump on February 28 for reasons that he has not clearly presented to the nation, also has voters worried that it will become yet another “forever war.”
The president won Ohio and the state’s 17 electoral votes handily in 2016, 2020 and 2024, despite losing the 2020 presidential race to Democrat Joe Biden.
In this election, all eyes will be on whether some of those disaffected Democrats return to their party and if a significant number of independents turn their backs on Trump’s Republicans.
SENATE SEAT
Former Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, is trying to return to the Senate, where he served for 18 years before being defeated two years ago by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno.
Ohio early voting begins with US Congress control on the line
