Early voting began on Sept. 18 inside the Arlington County Courthouse in Arlington, Va., marking the first day voters could cast ballots for this year’s midterm elections. The scene captured the anticipation that many Americans feel as the nation prepares to decide which party will control Congress in four weeks’ time.
In the run-up to Election Day, NPR’s Morning Edition is dispatching reporters to six pivotal states. Their mission: listen to voters, document how personal financial pressures, immigration debates, and lingering loyalty to former President Donald Trump shape choices at the ballot box.
Polling snapshot and the cost-of-living dilemma
A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll shows registered voters leaning 12 percentage points toward Democrats for Congress. Even more striking, 45 % of respondents say their congressional vote is a protest against Trump, while roughly a quarter say they are casting a vote to support him. Across the political divide, the rising cost of everyday items—fuel inflated by the Iran conflict, tariffs felt at checkout, and housing expenses—dominates conversations.
Morning Edition’s road tour of swing states
North Carolina and Georgia – Steve Inskeep
Steve Inskeep is traveling through North Carolina and Georgia, two Southern states with high-stakes contests. North Carolina features an open Senate seat and newly drawn congressional districts, while Georgia races for Senate and governor remain fiercely competitive. “I am watching and listening for people who feel this election is personal,” Inskeep explained, emphasizing the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on immigration, education, taxes, and foreign affairs. He added, “Trump is not on the ballot but has urged voters to act as if he is, and given the consequential acts of his administration, voters are likely to respond as if he is.”
Ohio and Michigan – Michel Martin
Michel Martin heads to Ohio and Michigan, states where economic anxiety and demographic shifts are reshaping the political landscape. In Ohio, voters will decide on a governor and a Senate seat amid concerns about jobs and the end of temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants. Michigan, fresh from a narrow Trump win in 2024 and heightened attention to the war in Gaza, will elect a new senator and governor, testing whether younger and Black voters continue to bolster the Democratic coalition. Martin describes these two states as “big consequential states that have always told us a lot about where the rest of the country is, and is going.”
Maine – Leila Fadel
Leila Fadel reports from Maine, where a Senate race between Republican incumbent Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson could tip the balance of power in the upper chamber. The state’s proximity to Canada adds a trade-war angle, while immigration enforcement under the former administration remains a hot topic. “I want to know what drives voters and how much party loyalty still plays a role,” Fadel said. “Are their votes up for grabs? Or are they locked in along party lines?”
Texas – A Martínez
A Martínez is on the ground in Texas, where Republicans have redrawn five congressional districts to favor their party, three of them with significant Latino populations. The GOP’s recent inroads among Latino voters are now being tested in a U.S. Senate race that could influence control of the chamber. Martínez asks, “What’s behind the Texas GOP’s big bet on Latino voters, and will it help Republicans keep control of the U.S. Senate?”
Over the next four weeks, Morning Edition will air reports from these regions, probing what matters to voters now, how loyalties may be shifting, and what the election could mean for the country’s future.
Follow the coverage: Maine airs today, Oct. 6; Texas follows on Oct. 13; then North Carolina and Georgia, and finally Ohio and Michigan. Updates are available on Morning Edition, the NPR app, and the Up First newsletter.
