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Kansas and Iowa—states that voted for Donald Trump by comfortable margins in the 2024 election—have currently emerged as primary battlegrounds in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate.
​Pope Leo XIV Casts Vote
​Figures released on Friday showed that a record 47.9 million Americans have cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Critical states experienced a significant surge in voter turnout, with the number of registered voters on Democratic Party rolls exceeding their Republican counterparts.
​This sharp rise in turnout is particularly visible in states witnessing intense competition for Senate seats.
​Among the voters participating in early voting was Pope Leo XIV, the first Catholic pope from the United States. This marks the first known instance of a sitting pontiff voting in a political election.
​The Vatican stated on Friday that the Pope—head of the Church representing 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, whose relations with Trump have witnessed tension—sent his ballot via mail to Chicago.
​Trump urged Republicans to "act as if my name is on the ballot" in these elections, recalling his victories in the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections, which largely defied polling expectations.
​Trump also escalated his rhetoric against immigrants and Muslims.
​Trump repeatedly warned that he would face a third impeachment attempt if Republicans lose the elections, although Democrats will likely concentrate their efforts on preparing for the 2028 presidential election.
​Conversely, Democrats express concern that Trump may not accept a Republican loss in the midterm elections—echoing his stance during the 2020 presidential election—especially after recently intensifying his statements regarding electoral fraud.
​"We witnessed a rigged election in 2020. We can never allow that to happen again," Trump stated in an interview with KCMO radio station in Kansas City.
​Source: Rum News Agency