Wednesday, 7 November 2018

*US MIDTERM ELECTIONS: First polls close as voters cite Trump and health care as key issues*


Polls have now closed in parts of Indiana and Kentucky — the beginning of the end for Tuesday’s momentous midterm elections.

The results of Tuesday’s election, only now beginning to trickle in, could bring significant changes to Washington after two years of Republican dominance: they could shift the balance of power in Congress, flip control of state capitols, and signal the strength of a Democrat-led backlash to President Trump.

Or not.

A strong Republican result on Tuesday could show that — despite his chaotic management style and divisive appeals to nationalism — Trump has remade the GOP in his own image, and solidified its hold on power.

Earlier on Tuesday, new polling showed that voters cited President Trump and health care were two of the most important factors as they chose their candidates in the midterm election, according to preliminary results from a Washington Post-Schar School survey of battleground districts.

More than four in 10 who cast early or absentee ballots or voted early Tuesday mentioned Trump or health care as the most important or second-most important factor for their vote, the preliminary results showed. The economy and immigration were close behind, receiving mention from over 3 in 10 voters in the results.

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