Democrats pulled ahead in Florida’s marquee races for the Senate last night, according to a new Reuters opinion poll, as Donald Trump returned to the battleground state in a last-ditch attempt to bail out Republicans.
Speaking at his rally in Florida on Wednesday, President Trump said a third of Americans believed the media was “the enemy of the people” – a claim which was unsubstantiated.
He also floated the idea of building “tent cities” to house illegal immigrants awaiting hearings on deportation, in an election where immigration is one of the key concerns.
These latest developments in the closing week of midterm campaigning match the tone of the extraordinary election run-up, which has been marred by political scandals and violence.
When will we see results?
Counting begins as soon as polls close, which will be 8pm at the latest on November 6.
Judging by the last midterm elections in 2014, we can expect to see the first states declaring results around midnight.
READ MORE: A simple guide to how the midterms work
By the early hours of November 7, we should know which way the House will swing.
Full results are expected later that day.
What do the latest polls show?
According to polling site FiveThirtyEight, which takes polls from various platforms and combines them to provide the most ‘probabilistic’ estimate, Democrats still hold a good chance of taking the House of Representatives.
Currently, Democrats hold a six in seven, or 84.8 percent chance of gaining control of the House, while Republicans have only a one in seven, or 15.2 percent shot.
READ MORE: Could Trump lose Florida?
Polling for the Senate paints the opposite picture.
Democrats have a one in seven, or 15.2 percent shot of taking control of the Senate, while Republicans have a six in seven, or 84.8 percent chance of retaining it.
What do the midterms decide?
The midterms decide who will represent your state in Congress.
Congress is the branch of the US government that makes laws, and is made up of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Midterms determine which party — Democratic or Republican — will control each chamber of Congress for the next two years.
Proposed legislation must pass in the House and the Senate for it to reach the president’s desk, and whichever party controls the chamber usually wins the legislative votes.
These elections occur in the middle of a president’s four-year term, which is why they’re called ‘midterms’.
The results are decided by the popular vote, and don’t use the Electoral College, which is used in presidential elections.
Voters will choose one-third of senators and every member of the House of Representatives, which are made up of the following.