A series of analyses and polls on the eve of one of the most hotly contested midterm elections reveal that a Democratic control of the House looks within grasp in Tuesday’s ballot, declared by President Donald Trump as verdict on his policies.
The two campaigns continued to present diametrically opposed Democratic and Republican positions, with Trump highlighting economic growth and using a caravan of asylum seekers as threat to the United States and framing immigration in the security context.
The president has also vowed to end citizenship birthright through an executive order. On the eve of the election, Trump also re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran. These moves clearly aimed to generate enthusiasm with his voters base, where he continues to enjoy considerable popularity.
Democrats on the other hand mounted a sharp criticism of the GOP policies as inimical to U.S. interests. Democrats have built their momentum around healthcare, #MeToo movement, calls for diversity, opposition to trade wars, climate change and pro-immigration stances.
Some conservative groups have rallied behind President Trump on the question of limiting immigration and building a wall on the Mexican border.
According to GMU’s Center for Immigration Research, despite anti-immigrant rhetoric, Americans’ views of immigrants have been mostly positive in the last two decades.
A Pew Research study also reveals that the U.S. will continue to need unhampered inflow of skilled and labor workforce for three decades to come in order to sustain high economic growth.
Democrats are eyeing gains on the Capitol Hill with the biggest prize being 435-member House of Representatives.
FiveThirtyEight website says the House is likely to go to Democrats with as many as 193 assured seats as opposed to 132 Republicans seats.
The findings of a CNN Poll released on the eve of the midterm elections, see Democrats enjoying a double-digit lead over Republicans in a generic congressional ballot among likely voters.
According to the CNN Poll, conducted by SSRS, “the party’s 55% to 42% advantage in the new poll mirrors their lead in early October and is about the same as the 10-point edge they held just after Labor Day.”
But polls are not an exact assessment of the political scenario as Americans discovered after 2016 elections.
Meanwhile, a record number of more than 24 million American voters cast early vote in an indication of enthusiasm for the midterm elections.
However, one thing is crystal clear. Women are going to play an important role shaping the outcome of the elections. Particularly, the white women vote will be the key. Democrats are also hoping to have a robust turnout from voters among diverse communities as record numbers of women from minorities including Muslims, African-Americans and Latinos contest elections.
While GOP is seeking to retain its majority in the House, it appears to be poised well in the Senate. Yet there are several possibilities how the two parties might figure as analyzed by NPR in a report.
The turnout is expected to be among the highest for midterms as elections take place in a highly polarized environment with high-stakes for the immediate future of both parties.
