Voters decide control of Congress in midterm elections

Americans are voting Tuesday, November 3, to determine control of the House and Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term, with Democrats favored to retake the House and the Senate contest rated a tossup in pre-election forecasts. Results had not been reported in the material describing Election Day, so the predicted outcomes remain uncertain. Republicans enter the vote with narrow majorities: 218-214 in the House and 53-47 in the Senate. Forecasts differ in their assessments of the Senate race, but both chambers are being contested. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in each chamber to overcome the reported Republican majorities. In the Senate, the vice president can break ties, affecting the number of seats needed to control the chamber. The outcome will shape Congress’s ability to advance or scrutinize the administration’s agenda. A Democratic majority could lead to investigations of Trump and his administration, including immigration enforcement and the war with Iran, according to pre-election analysis. A stronger Republican showing could reinforce Trump’s influence within his party. Early returns from closely watched House races in Florida and...