Voters cast their ballots at the Arlington County Courthouse in Arlington, Virginia, on September 18, the first day of early voting in the state for the midterm elections.
Tom Brenner/Getty Images
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Tom Brenner/Getty Images
A version of this essay first appeared in the First bulletin. Subscribe here to get the news you need to start your day – and a little fun – every weekday and Sunday.
In four weeks, the midterm elections will help determine the balance of power in Congress. And before election day, Morning edition will travel to six states where some of the most competitive races are taking place to hear what voters say that influences their decisions.
We already have some clues about where voters stand. The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that registered voters favor Democrats in Congress over Republicans by 12 percentage points. President Trump is also very much on voters’ minds, with 45% saying their vote for Congress is a vote against him, compared to about a quarter who say they are voting to support him.
Beyond political divisions, one concern continually comes to the fore: the cost of living and its implications for the economic future of citizens.
But this year, some of the forces driving those costs come far beyond voters’ communities. The war with Iran is affecting prices at the pump. The customs tariffs imposed in Washington are reaching the checkouts. It is increasingly difficult to separate foreign policy, economic policy and household costs.
Republicans and Democrats campaign on promises to make daily life more affordable. But voters weigh much more than their bills. Immigration and the rapid growth of massive data centers are also part of the debate. The same goes for the voting process itself, including new restrictions that raise questions about how ballots will be cast, secured and counted.
And in many of these states, another question looms over the elections: What do voters want from their own parties, and are old political loyalties still valid? These are some of the questions that Morning edition will hit the road, using the six states as a window into a changing electorate.
Steve Inskeep reports from North Carolina and Georgia, two closely watched Southern states. North Carolina has an open Senate seat and recently redrawn congressional districts. Georgia is hosting competitive races for Senate and governor after several elections in which voters supported candidates from both parties.
“I watch and listen to people who think this election is personal,” Inskeep said.
He wants to hear from people who feel directly affected by the Trump administration’s immigration changes., government, education, taxes, foreign policy and the economy.
“Trump is not on the ballot but has urged voters to act as if he is, and given the consequences of his administration, voters will likely respond as if he is,” Inskeep said.
Michel Martin travels to Ohio and Michigan, where some of the biggest questions concern political change in the Midwest. Ohio is holding competitive races for governor and Senate amid economic anxiety. In Springfield, Martin will also examine how the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians affects a community where Haitian immigrants make up a significant portion of the population — and whether disagreements over immigration change the way voters view their own parties.
Michigan offers a different set of tests. Trump narrowly won the state in 2024, when anger over the Biden administration’s handling of the Gaza war was a major issue for some voters, particularly in Michigan’s Arab American communities. The state also saw a surge in youth voter turnout. This year, an open Senate seat and gubernatorial race offer another chance to see whether those changes will continue through the midterms — and what role younger and black voters play in the Democratic coalition.
Martin calls Ohio and Michigan “two big, important states that have always taught us a lot about where the rest of the country is and where it’s headed.”
In Michigan, she will wonder what motivates voters after the state went for both Democrats and Republicans in key races.
“Are they crazy? Sad? Or just exhausted? We hope to find out,” Martin said.
Leila Fadel reports from Maine, where a Senate race could help determine control of the chamber. Republican Senator Susan Collins is running for another term against Democrat Troy Jackson. Immigration and trade are also part of the political debate.
“I want to know what motivates voters and to what extent party loyalty still plays a role,” Fadel said. “Are their votes up for grabs? Or are they locked into party lines?
Maine’s long border with Canada also gives the trade war a different dimension, as tariffs and tensions over cross-border trade affect businesses and communities with close economic ties to Canada. The state has also been hit by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Fadel said she would ask voters what they want from their candidates — and whether it matters which party delivers that message.
A Martínez heads to Texas, where Republicans are testing whether recent gains among Latino voters will hold. The U.S. Senate race also has placed Texas in the national fight for control of the chamber.
Republicans redrew five congressional districts to favor the Republican Party in the midterms, including three with more Latino voters. Martínez said that makes the party’s strategy around Latino voters one of the issues he wants to examine.
“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 report on races and electorates across the United States, asking many of the same questions: What matters to voters now, what has changed, and where does the country go next?
Follow the report: Maine’s coverage airs today, October 6. Texas follows on October 13, followed by reports from North Carolina and Georgia, then Ohio and Michigan. You can follow Morning edition and NPR.org, as well as in the NPR app and the First bulletin.
This piece was edited by Treye Green.
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