US Midterms 2026: Iran War, AI, Donald Trump - Issues Defining Elections

On November 3, American voters will decide who will control the Congress - Republicans or Democrats. Here are some of the issue that could reshape the US midterm elections.

26 Oct 2026, 06:06 · NDTV

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The US midterm elections will decide control of Congress for Trump's last two years in office
Affordability is the top voter concern, with inflation and rising gas and food prices impacting Americans
The Iran war affects the economy, with 60% disapproving of Trump's handling and higher living costs

What happens to Trump's agenda if Democrats win Congress?

A little over a week from now, Americans will vote to decide who controls the Congress for the two remaining years of the presidency of Donald Trump, who has reshaped US politics by transforming the Republican Party, reworking trade relatioons and challenging long-standing democratic and institutional norms. Republicans hold narrow majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate, which CNN says is the narrowest in history. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of each chamber.

READ | What Are US Midterms, Why They Matter And What Happens If Congress Flips

Ahead of November 3 midterm polls, here is a look at issues defining the elections:

Affordability: This is unarguably the top issue for voters in America. The overall inflation rate in the US in August was unchanged from July - at 3.4 per cent - but the cost of living has gone up substantially. A poll by Pew Centre found 29 per cent of voters spontaneously naming an economic concern when asked what they most wanted congressional candidates to discuss - more than three times any other category.

Gasoline and food prices in the US have skyrocketed causing affordability to become the central issue
Photo Credit: Reuters

Gas prices have spiked since the US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran in February. The national average price of gas is $4.28 - $1.20 higher than it was a year ago, according to Reuters. The average cost of diesel is $6.32 - a $2.70 increase from a year earlier.

Iran War: This is another top issue on the minds of US voters since the conflict is directly impacting Americans economically. Institute of Global Affairs (IGA) released a survey last month suggesting that 60 per cent of potential voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the war. Further, an overwhelming majority of respondents - 81 per cent - agreed that the conflict has raised the cost of living.

Americans have criticised the way Donald Trump has handled the Iran War.
Photo Credit: Reuters

Last week, in a Senate debate in Michigan between Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican rival Mike Rogers, the former tied foreign policy to economy. "Right now, the cost of gas, the cost of groceries, it all really goes back to this war in Iran," he said.

El-Sayed said the war "made no sense when it started and makes no sense now".

Shortly after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Tehran started disrupting the shipments of oil, gas and other essentials through the Strait of Hormuz. This led to diesel prices reaching record highs in the US, and petrol and gasoline becoming less affordable.

Democrats see the was as Achilles heel for the Republicans, and are hoping to win the midterm by invoking the conflict incessantly, dubbing it a "death sentence for US economy".

Immigration: Another of Trump's signature move in this term is proving to be politically complicated for his Republican Party.

ICE agents have turned down scores of immigration requests in the past year.
Photo Credit: Reuters

The president returned to office promising mass deportations, but controversy over aggressive ICE operations and other enforcement tactics has eroded support.

Reuters/Ipsos found 55 per cent disapproved of Trump's handling of immigration. The shift is particularly notable among Latinos. A survey across competitive House districts found 62 percent of Latino voters disapproved of the administration's deportation and immigration enforcement.

Artificial intelligence: The biggest technological advancement in recent years hasn't appealed much the Americans. As per a poll result carried by Time Magazine, only 39 per cent of internet users say AI has a positive impact on society. Only 15 per cent say they are excited about AI's growth, as per the poll conducted by Outward Intelligence.

Americanas are worried about job losses due to AI.
Photo Credit: Reuters

Voters worry about job losses, safety and regulation - but increasingly also about the giant data centres needed to power AI.

AI regulation scored surprisingly highly in Emerson's September survey, just behind immigration and gas prices. Data centers themselves ranked lower nationally but have become major campaign issues in states including Ohio as communities battle over electricity, water and construction.

Congress even spent some of its final pre-election days arguing over who should pay the electricity costs created by them - proof that, in 2026, even the server farm has become political.

US President Donald Trump's approval ratings are at record low.
Photo Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump: The US President himself is an issue, including how he uses his office. Trump's approval rating has fallen to an all-time low 31 per cent. Yet he has repeatedly urged voters to pretend he's on the ballot, an effort that could motivate Democrats and independents to rally against his party despite the message being aimed at increasing turnout among Trump's base.

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