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Living costs and moral decency weigh on Americans casting midterm ballots

Jackie Fox's Washington coverage pairs voters' concerns with competing Democratic and Republican accounts of the election's stakes.

Channel: RTÉ News ·

IrelandStory of November 4, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of RTÉ News's most watched videos since yesterday, with 7,407 views.

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Americans have their say in Midterm elections | RTÉ News

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0:25All House seats and roughly a third of Senate seats are contested, putting congressional control at stake.
1:10Voters identify living costs, moral decency and the importance of participating as reasons for casting their ballots.
3:20John McCarthy says Democrats increased door-knocking and campaigned on affordability and corruption.
6:14Fergal O'Brien explains Senate battlegrounds and governors' races, including contests in Michigan, Ohio and Texas.
8:00Greg Swenson acknowledges Republican vulnerabilities in traditionally Republican states and discusses prices and historical midterm patterns.

One voter hopes for "some moral decency". Another acknowledges that the choices and issues can feel intimidating, but says it is important to vote anyway. Outside polling stations, Americans describe concerns that extend beyond which party controls Washington.

Ireland's public broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) News, puts those voices alongside political interviews in "Americans have their say in Midterm elections | RTÉ News". Presented by Sharon Ní Bheoláin, the election-day broadcast crosses to correspondent Jackie Fox outside the Capitol as voting continues, before results are settled.

Every House seat and about a third of the Senate are being contested. Both chambers pass federal legislation, so their political balance matters to what President Donald Trump can achieve during the remainder of his term. The report frames the election as a nationwide verdict on his presidency, with living costs prominent among voters' concerns.

John McCarthy, a Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Joe Biden, says his party has knocked on more doors than in either of the previous two presidential campaigns. He describes a campaign focused on affordability and corruption. Asked about prospective presidential contenders, he also acknowledges how quickly attention turns to the next contest: "One race ends, the next one begins."

Fergal O'Brien's report maps the battlegrounds, including Michigan, Ohio and Texas, and explains the Senate contests and governors' races.

Greg Swenson of Republicans Overseas UK offers the Republican perspective, discussing petrol prices and the historical difficulties presidents' parties face at midterms. He acknowledges that the party has vulnerabilities beyond the usual battlegrounds: "Yeah, there's definitely been some vulnerability in states that are traditionally very Republican."

Published on Trari