(The Epoch Times)—While past presidents have attempted to distance themselves from the midterm spotlight, President Donald Trump has urged voters to treat the Nov. 3 election with the weight of a presidential election.
“When I’m not on the ballot, we don’t do well,” Trump has said in multiple speeches over the past month as part of his nationwide campaign blitz for a GOP majority in both houses of Congress.
“In this election, I’m asking you to pretend I’m on the ballot just one more time. Because, essentially, I am.”
Historically, midterms have served as a referendum on the policies of the sitting president, giving voters an opportunity to approve and accelerate the presiding party’s agenda or put a check on the executive branch’s power.
If the polls are accurate this year, Democrats are poised to flip enough seats in the House of Representatives, with a closer contest in the Senate. Republicans currently hold slim majorities in both chambers—218 to 214 and 53 to 47, respectively. Democrats need net gains of four seats in each chamber to win control.
Market analysts at Action Network reported an 86 percent chance of a change in leadership in the House and a 66 percent chance that the Senate flips, based on their modeling of prediction markets.
The national mood in favor of Democrats has remained steady throughout the fall by roughly 8 to 9 percentage points, at about 51–52 percent versus 42–44 percent for Republicans.
“The model doesn’t look at Iran, the economy, or corruption directly, but they show up as points of national mood,” Tyler James Webber of the Action Network told The Epoch Times on Nov. 2. And that figure “outweighs every other input combined,” he said.
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He noted that traditional polls underestimated Republican turnout in six of the past seven midterms, a factor that was considered in his team’s calculations.
Historical Precedent
Sitting presidents watched their parties lose ground in all but two of the 20 midterm elections held since World War II.
Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush bucked the trend in 1998 and 2002 when their parties gained ground. At the time, both presidents’ approval ratings were north of 60 percent.
Bush later lost both chambers in 2006 when his approval plummeted to 37 percent.
Trump’s disapproval rating sits at about 60 percent as of Oct. 30, with his approval rating hovering around 37 percent, up one point from his all-time lows in early October, according to recent polls.
Democrats gained 40 House seats in the 2018 midterms during Trump’s first term, but Republicans gained two seats in the Senate.
Pre-election voting data compiled by the University of Florida’s Election Lab show fewer Republicans voting early than in past elections, with higher turnouts for Democrats and independents. Conservative voters historically turn out in higher numbers on Election Day.
Top Issues
Trump packed his schedule with near-daily rallies through October to boost his party’s chances, with his voice going noticeably hoarse toward the end of the month.
Across the country, voters told The Epoch Times that high fuel prices, inflation, and the Iran war were the most important issues for them heading into Election Day.
Supporters of all ages expressed their approval of his leadership.
“I’m here because I believe in what the president is doing for our country,” Bob Spears of northern Kentucky told The Epoch Times before a rally. “There’s a lot of bad information out there, and we need to stand up for our principles while we can.”
Others looking for change came to voice their opposition to the administration, with organized protests outside most rallies and disruptions occurring at many of Trump’s recent events.
Common themes of protests included the cost of living, Epstein file transparency, and anti-war messages.
“We’re out here to make a statement and make a difference,” one protester, Matt, who only gave his first name, told The Epoch Times while holding a sign outside a rally in Kalispell, Montana, calling for lower gas and food prices.
“If we could afford groceries to feed our family, we wouldn’t be out here in the cold complaining.”
Both parties flooded the airwaves with pundits urging their bases to turn out with a slew of messages to challenge their opponents.
Democrats embraced Trump’s framing of the election as a referendum, running ads in battleground states tying Republican candidates to his policies, which they blame for the continued high cost of living.
Evolving Battleground Map
Rhetoric about the economy created electoral opportunities for Democrats in states that traditionally vote red.
Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat senator since George McGill was reelected in 1932, but the party’s Adam Hamilton is leading in some polls over Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.
In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton is trailing Democrat James Talarico, according to recent polling data. The pair are running for outgoing Republican Sen. John Cornyn’s seat after the sitting senator was ousted in a primary following disagreements with Trump over spending and other legislative details.
Cornyn subsequently refused to campaign for Paxton, describing him as an “albatross around the neck” of GOP candidates during a May press conference.
Trump chastised Cornyn for not supporting the party down the stretch, blaming him and political strategist Karl Rove for a potential defeat in the Lone Star State.
“They are hurting Texas and, more importantly, hurting the United States of America!” Trump wrote Oct. 15 on Truth Social, saying that both had opposed him for his entire political career.
The president held rallies in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock in October to stump for Paxton, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and other GOP candidates.
In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola is running to unseat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The race includes another Dan Sullivan, which Republicans say risks confusing voters.
The Department of Justice challenged the second Sullivan’s inclusion on the ballot, but U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the case on Nov. 1. The government is appealing the ruling.
In Maine, longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is facing a tough race against Democrat Troy Jackson in her bid for a sixth straight term. Polls show Jackson with a slight edge hours before Election Day.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’s decision to retire after clashing with Trump resulted in a race between former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley and former Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper. Cooper holds a comfortable lead in all major polling results.
Democrats are hoping to flip Ohio in a race pitting their former Sen. Sherrod Brown against incumbent Republican Sen. John Husted, who filled Vice President JD Vance’s seat. The race leans Democrat, with longtime politician Brown’s name recognition boosting his chances, according to recent surveys.
Trump made three visits to the Buckeye State in October and another to the Cincinnati media market in Highland Heights, Kentucky.
Other close contests include Iowa, where Republican Ashley Hinson is running against Democrat Josh Turek to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Ernst told reporters in September 2025 that she received “a lot of pressure from the White House” to seek reelection but chose to return to private life.
The president has also campaigned aggressively for Republican Mike Rogers in his race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.
Trump drew contrasts between his administration’s domestic manufacturing and national security agendas and those of El-Sayed and other far-left Democrat candidates, whom he labeled as “socialists and communists.”
The president on Nov. 2 made a final push with his address in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, thanking supporters who attended the GOP events while urging them to vote on Tuesday.
“Nobody’s ever seen anything like it, and that means there’s love,” Trump said. “Those rallies were love.”
What’s at Stake
If Democrats emerge victorious in both chambers, the party would hold subpoena power and control of congressional committees for Trump’s remaining two years. Members could review the administration’s economic and foreign policy decisions, in addition to the president’s family’s activities.
When Democrats controlled the House of Representatives in the last half of Trump’s first term, members of Congress persistently pursued investigations and impeachment hearings.
A Republican loss this year would threaten the progress made in Trump’s second term and force a reliance on executive orders, according to the president, as the opposition party would be able to constrain the executive branch through legislative efforts and send bills to the White House that don’t align with the administration’s agenda.
“I have a strong veto,” Trump told reporters when asked how he would handle a Democratic-majority Congress.
Some former supporters are critical of the steps taken by the president since he was returned to the White House by voters in 2024.
Conflicts with former Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who describes himself as a libertarian Republican, and Christian nationalist former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), among others, led to a splintering of support among the right wing.
Trump said in November 2025 that Greene had “gone Far Left.”
Americans casting their ballots Tuesday will decide whether the president has succeeded in mobilizing his base to defend his administration’s policies or Democrats have gained enough momentum to change the balance of power.
Starting the Day With a Scripture-Inspired Roast Helps Center Your Thoughts on Eternal Truths Amid Temporal Pressures
The world can seem chaotic, especially right after we wake up. Many believers start their mornings reaching for something familiar — a hot cup of coffee — yet end up settling for mediocre brews that do little more than deliver a caffeine jolt. The daily grind of life, with its endless distractions, news cycles, and responsibilities, can leave even the most faithful feeling spiritually parched alongside their physical fatigue. What if your morning ritual could do more than wake you up? What if it could ground you in truth, nourish your body with exceptional quality, and quietly advance a kingdom purpose at the same time?
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The challenge for today’s Christians runs deeper than finding a decent cup. In an age of convenience-driven consumerism, it’s easy to support companies that dilute values or remain silent on matters of faith. Many believers want their everyday choices — from what they drink to how they spend — to reflect discipleship rather than just convenience. Promised Grounds solves this by weaving Christian excellence into the entire process: beans nurtured with prayerful stewardship by farming families, roasted as an offering rather than a commodity, and packaged with Bible verses to encourage a mindset of gratitude and purpose from the first sip. Reviewers consistently praise the smooth, rich profiles — whether enjoyed black in a drip maker, iced on a warm day, or shared in fellowship — noting how the quality stands toe-to-toe with premium secular brands while delivering something far more meaningful.
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Of course, quality alone isn’t enough if the experience feels out of reach. Promised Grounds keeps it accessible with practical perks like free shipping on orders over $40, sample sets for discovering favorites, and thoughtful add-ons such as faith-themed mugs. Whether you prefer whole beans for fresh grinding, grounds for convenience, or even bulk options for larger households and ministries, the result is consistently superior coffee that makes discipleship feel integrated rather than added on.
As you consider how to align even the smallest habits with your walk with God, Promised Grounds Coffee stands out as a refreshing solution. It tackles the dual problems of subpar daily sustenance and disconnected consumption by offering a product that genuinely excels in taste while advancing a mission of clean water, farmer dignity, and scriptural encouragement. Believers who make the switch often describe it as more than a beverage upgrade — it becomes part of their rhythm of gratitude, a daily invitation to remember that every good gift comes from above.
If you’re ready to transform your mornings (and perhaps your church gatherings) with coffee that honors both exceptional craftsmanship and Christian values, I encourage you to explore what Promised Grounds has to offer. One sip at a time, you’ll be nourishing your body, refreshing your spirit, and participating in something far greater — all while enjoying what truly is among the best coffee available.
