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[Hot Topic Focus: US Midterm Elections Begin, Trump Faces Public Opinion Test] 1. Americans went to polls on Tuesday to participate in the midterm elections, seen as a test of public opinion for President Trump's second term. Polls and independent analysts generally favor the Democrats to regain control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans, while the Senate remains uncertain. All 435 seats in the House and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate are up for election. Democrats need to win at least three House seats and four Senate seats to secure a majority in both houses. 2. Historical data is unfavorable to the ruling party. Since World War II, a president's party has only twice avoided losing congressional seats in midterm elections. The war between the US and Iran and rising fuel prices have fueled voter discontent, dragging Trump's approval ratings near lows. The Senate race is concentrated in nearly 10 closely contested state elections, most of which are in traditional Republican strongholds. 3. The election focus is almost entirely on Trump. Trump himself has repeatedly urged supporters to "pretend my name is on the ballot," a sentiment echoed by Democratic leaders. In a television interview Tuesday morning, Trump touted his achievements and expressed optimism about the Republican Party's prospects. He also stated his intention to halt the promised $3.8 billion in annual funding to Israel after this year, but how this will be implemented remains unclear given the 2020 legal provisions regarding the scale of such funding. 4. Since early October, Trump has held over 20 campaign rallies in an attempt to energize his base and has proposed sending $5,000 checks to every American adult if the Republicans retain control of Congress; this plan requires congressional approval. Republicans portray Democratic candidates as radicals, unpatriots, and even communists, but polls show voters are most concerned about the cost of living and do not approve of Trump's handling of this issue. 5. Reports of voting equipment problems have surfaced in multiple locations across the US, affecting counties in Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, potentially causing delays in voting and counting. Election experts say that individual machine malfunctions are not uncommon, and backup systems usually prevent impacting the results. Legal observers and Democrats warn that Trump, who has long claimed the election was rigged, may attempt to challenge the outcome if the Republicans lose. 6. The U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday that it will deploy 1,000 election watchers and observers to all 50 states, calling it the largest Election Day monitoring operation in U.S. history. Democrats criticized the plan, suggesting it could constitute voter intimidation. Market analysis found that about two-thirds of the districts listed by the Justice Department support Harris rather than Trump in the 2024 election.