What’s at stake in the midterm elections? Yahoo News Explains

Yahoo News Video
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While some people are still arguing over the 2020 election, make way, because the 2022 midterms are already here — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With control of both houses of Congress hanging in the balance, Yahoo News explains what you need to know as we head towards Election Day in November.

Video Transcript

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- While some people are still arguing over the 2020 election--

- Trump won!

- --make way. The 2022 midterms are already here. And the stakes couldn't be higher-- control of both houses of Congress.

On the House side, Democrats, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, currently hold a narrow 221 to 208-member majority over Republicans, led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, with six seats vacant as of the start of May. But come November 8, all 435 seats are up for grabs.

Now, anything can happen between now and Election Day. But according to the latest projections, who ends up controlling the House in 2023 will come down to 30 or 40 highly competitive districts, which leaves a lot of room to swing the balance back to Kevin McCarthy and the GOP. And with a very unpopular Democrat in the White House, many are predicting a tidal wave for McCarthy to ride.

Over on the Senate side, there's currently an even 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris giving a tie-breaking vote for a Democratic majority, led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer.

35 Senate seats are up for election this year, 14 currently held by Democrats and 21 by Republicans. Eight of those races are considered to be toss-ups, and they're evenly split between the parties. So if Republicans hold on to what they've got now, they only need to flip one Democratic seat to regain control of the Senate. But it could just as easily go the other way and give Democrats an even greater advantage.

And then there's the big elephant in the room for the GOP, this guy, former President and wannabe kingmaker Donald Trump. We've already seen this starting to play out in the primaries. Trump's endorsements have pushed the needle towards victory in some cases but backfired in others.

- The freshman Congressman Madison Cawthorn has conceded.

- Donald Trump tried to help Madison Cawthorn hold on to that North Carolina House seat.

- And how his handpicked candidates fare against Democrats in November could be the deciding factor in how Republicans approach the next election in 2024 and if he shall return.

DONALD TRUMP: We may have to do it again.

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