Midterm Stakes: 435 House Seats, 35 Senate Races, and a Key Church Case

Americans vote on Nov. 3 in a midterm cycle that will decide which party controls Congress. The outcome determines whether Republicans keep their majority for the rest of President Donald Trump’s second term or if Democrats flip both chambers.

All 435 U.S. House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot. Voters in 36 states also choose governors. Polls identify the Senate races in Texas, Michigan, and Alaska as toss ups. These three contests are central to the fight for control of the upper chamber.

The Supreme Court opens its November oral argument session on Nov. 2. The session runs through Nov. 10 and includes seven hours of argument over five days. The court will hear arguments in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy on Nov. 3, the same day as the general election.

That case tests whether Colorado’s universal preschool program discriminates against religion by excluding a Catholic preschool. The ruling will define how public funding programs can treat faith based institutions.

The week combines high stakes elections with a judicial decision that shapes religious freedom standards. Voters decide the makeup of Congress while the justices weigh a specific legal question about state benefits and church run schools.