From Iran to AI: the six key voter issues shaping the US midterm elections

Illustration: Guardian DesignNext month’s midterm elections will test Donald Trump’s second term and determine whether Democrats regain political power in Washington. Polls show Trump’s approval ratings at their lowest across his two presidencies, pulled down by widespread economic dissatisfaction and an unpopular war against Iran. Here are the key issues shaping this year’s elections.The economyDespite Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to tackle affordability issues, the economy consistently ranks as voters’ top concern. A recent Associated Press-NORC survey showed only 26% of voters approving of Trump’s handling of the economy, two percentage points below Joe Biden’s worst ratings on the issue.IranTrump’s decision to go to war with the Tehran regime has exacerbated economic worries. Iran’s retaliatory decision to close the strait of Hormuz has driven up gasoline prices for US motorists.It also represents a breach of his pledge to end the US’s supposed addiction to “forever wars”. Democrats and some Republicans also complain that he embarked on military action without congressional authorization.ImmigrationEnforcement and closing the border remains a signature issue for Trump. He repeatedly boasts of the impact of his closure of the southern border as one of his biggest achievements, making comparisons with the performance of Joe Biden.But the mood has since shifted. High profile violent incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection agents have fed a perception that the immigration crackdown has “gone too far”.Trump’s powerThe president is not on the ballot, but has told voters to pretend that he is. His visibility makes his character and exercise of power a central issue at a time of career-low approval ratings and a swirl of controversies over corruption allegations and his various pet building projects.Democrats have framed the midterms as an opportunity to rein in the president.Artificial intelligence and datacentersAI has emerged as a key campaign issue, with surveys showing a majority of voters holding negative views on it, even as Trump champions its development and attempts to rename it “super intelligence”.Up to 70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI datacenters in their areas, polls show.DemocracyThe elections will take place against a backdrop of uncertainty over whether Trump will try to interfere with the vote. The US supreme court last month rejected his bid to restrict mail-in ballots, triggering an intensification of unfounded accusations from him about election fraud.