As millions of Americans cast ballots in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, voters face a high-stakes referendum on Donald Trump’s administration amid soaring living costs, low approval ratings, and deep partisan divides over control of Congress.
According to an analysis by the Brookings Institution, the president’s party lost seats in 20 out of 22 midterm elections held between 1938 and 2022. While Donald Trump campaigns aggressively across the country aboard a newly introduced Air Force One, national polls and forecasting models point to significant momentum for the Democratic opposition in races for the House of Representatives and the Senate.
A Reuters and Ipsos poll completed on October 26 placed the overall approval rating of President Trump at 32%, while voting intentions showed Democrats leading with 47% to 36% among registered voters and 53% to 44% among likely voters. While a Reuters and Ipsos poll recorded approval of the president’s handling of the economy at 62%, only 48% approved of his policies regarding the cost of living. Survey findings published by the Cook Political Report indicate that demographic groups such as Hispanic voters have registered a 66% level of dissatisfaction with the current administration.
Jonathan Constantine, president of Republicans Overseas Greece, expressed absolute certainty that Republicans will retain their majority in the Senate, whereas Alkman Granitsas, president of the Executive Committee of Democrats Abroad Greece, anticipated a strong performance by Democrats and the potential arrival of a “blue wave. Steve Bannon, a former chief strategist for Donald Trump and a prominent figure within the MAGA (
Make America Great Again”) political core of the Republican Party, warned that the post-election period will initiate an intense internal party debate regarding the future identity and leadership of the Republicans ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle. Bannon also noted that the MAGA Inc. super PAC is expected to spend almost 400 million dollars to support conservative candidates, while noting that Elon Musk’s America PAC has contributed significantly to Republican efforts, including in Texas.
Control of Congress and Impeachment Stakes
Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the House with 218 seats against 214, while maintaining an edge in the Senate with 53 seats to 47. Voters will decide all 435 seats in the House of Representatives alongside 35 Senate seats—comprising 33 regular races and special elections in Florida and Ohio.
President Trump addressed these stakes directly, stating that his party must win the midterms because if we don’t win them they’ll find a reason to impeach me. Economic analysts, including Joshua Mitts, a professor at Columbia Law School specializing in capital market transactions, have also noted that predictions and market expectations can influence voter turnout, with individuals potentially questioning the utility of voting if prediction platforms heavily favor one outcome.
High Voter Turnout Coincides with Election Disputes
Other updates closer to election day placed the early voter total in the millions. Voter turnout has broken previous intermediate election benchmarks.
This high participation rate coincides with sharp legal and political disputes over election administration.
Greek-American Candidates Run for State and Local Office
Additional Greek-American candidates participating across various state and local jurisdictions include Benjamin Baroody, Efstathia Booras, and Louis Juris running in multi-member districts in New Hampshire, Dina Titus seeking reelection in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District against Republican Diane Harris, and Alexi Giannoulias running for reelection as Illinois Secretary of State ahead of a planned run for Chicago mayor in February 2027.
In Texas, Democratic candidate James Talarico has drawn national attention in a state where Democrats have not won state-level elections for about three decades, registering 49% against Republican Ken Paxton’s 43% according to recent polling. In Kansas, Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton is challenging Senator Roger Marshall in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932, with CNN tracking 49% to 45%. In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has distanced herself from Donald Trump, is locked in a tight race against Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, with polls showing a narrow margin. Meanwhile, Nikos Larigakis, president of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), and E. Chris Kitson, supreme president of AHEPA, have highlighted the importance of these legislative outcomes for ongoing diplomatic priorities concerning Greece and Cyprus.
European View of U.S. Policy
European analysts note that the interconnection between U.S. governance and international alliances—particularly regarding Middle Eastern policy and relations with Israel—means that the composition of the incoming Congress will directly influence transatlantic strategies. Governments across Europe are monitoring the American midterms for potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy, trade tariffs, and defense commitments.
As polling locations prepare to close across different time zones starting on Tuesday evening—with final votes concluding in Alaska—the immediate question is whether the predicted opposition wave will materialize or if conservative strongholds will hold against the current headwinds.