From Abdul El-Sayed’s headline showdown in Michigan to unexpectedly tight races in red states like Texas and Kansas, we track all the key races live as polls begin to close.
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polls → track → races
Most of the action is in the Senate races, where the Democrats need 51 seats and the Republicans need 50 (because of the tie-breaking vote owned by vice president JD Vance.)
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Republicans → need → Vance
South Carolina (polls close 11am AEDT)
This race has found the spotlight for two reasons – it’s a toss-up, and the Republican candidate Darline Graham is the sister of the late senator Lindsey Graham.
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candidate → find → senator
She’s up against Annie Andrews in a very tight race in what’s typically a safe red state.
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what → ’ → race
Georgia (polls close 11am AEDT)
This race is projected to be a pretty comfortable, possibly double-digit win for the Democrats.
uncertain
race → project → Democrats
But we’re keeping our eye on it anyway because it features rising star incumbent Jon Ossoff, who’s already been linked with a run at the White House.
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who → keep → House
He’s up against Republican Mike Collins.
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He → ’ → Collins
Ohio Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown is a former senator who chaired the Senate banking committee from 2021 to 2024, when he was a vocal critic of crypto.
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he → chair → crypto
Ad-tracking business AdImpact says the crypto sector has spent $US68 million on defeating Brown, who is up against Republican incumbent Jon Husted in a high-stakes Senate race.
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who → track → race
Maine (polls close 12pm AEDT)
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polls → close → ?
One of the last remaining moderate strongholds for Republicans, incumbent Susan Collins has historically outperformed bad polling numbers to win time and time again.
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Collins → remain → numbers
But with a poor net approval rating, she faces a stiff test this time around from Troy Jackson.
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she → face → Jackson
Texas (polls close 1pm AEDT)
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polls → close → ?
Democrat James Talarico, who is trying to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the conservative state of Texas since 1988, has used concerns about political corruption in his campaign.
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who → try → campaign
He’s up against Republican candidate Ken Paxton.
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He → ’ → Paxton
A Democrat hasn’t been elected to the Senate in Kansas for 94 years – that’s something the popular pastor Adam Hamilton is hoping change.
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pastor → elect → years
He’s looking to take down Republican Roger Marshall.
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He → look → Marshall
In the swing state of Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed – a doctor, unionist and Muslim – and Republican Mike Rogers are locked in a tight race for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters.
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Sayed → lock → Peters
Iowa (polls close 1pm AEDT)
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polls → close → ?
(Trump has, of course, asked voters to pretend he’s on the ballot these midterms, despite his weakened approval rating.)
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he → ask → rating
Alaska (polls close 5pm AEDT)
Surging heating fuel, electricity and grocery prices are disproportionately whacking residents of this remote, traditionally red state.
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prices → close → state
Democrat Mary Peltola, who says Alaskans endure the highest healthcare costs in the country, is facing off against Republican senator Dan Sullivan, and an unaffiliated retired teacher who goes by the same name – Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
GOVERNOR
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who → say → GOVERNOR
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy was forced to pull an attack ad, where his camp tracked down Democratic rival Amy Acton’s estranged mother Donna, who claimed her daughter to be a serial liar who couldn’t be trusted.
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who → force → mother
Florida
Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly face off in Marco Rubio country – so it’ll be interesting to see where voters go here, possibly offering some clues about a state that will be crucial in 2028.
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that → face → 2028
Read more on US politics:
- Referendum on Trump: How the midterm elections work
-
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elections → read → Trump
The key races: These are the contests to watch on election day
-
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These → watch → day
Michael Koziol: Republicans could lose big, but Trumpism is here to stay
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Trumpism → lose → ?
Trump’s demolition derby satisfied the bloodlust.
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derby → satisfy → bloodlust
Now voters know the cost
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voters → know → cost
The Aporia
