Updated November 3, 2026 at 2:31 PM CST
A version of this essay first appeared in the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get the news you need to start your day — plus a little fun — every weekday and Sunday.
With the arrival of Election Day, months of campaign ads and rallies come to an abrupt halt. Big names, including President Trump and former President Barack Obama, have spent weeks on the road advocating for candidates in tight races.
As Election Day approached, political prospects across the U.S. burned through their final reserves of stamina to get every vote they can. Experts have projected that the Senate and House will be won with razor-thin margins.
Throughout October, Morning Edition has been on the road speaking to voters in six pivotal states that could decide which party controls Congress.
Leila Fadel reported from Maine. A Martínez made his way to the big state of Texas. Steve Inskeep went to North Carolina and Georgia. And Michel Martin traveled to Ohio and Michigan. The hosts traveled to these states with the goal of speaking with a variety of people across political lines about the issues that will inform their votes.
In Maine, Fadel got reel with men. She went fly fishing and discussed the Democratic Party's perceived "man problem." Trump won the 2024 election largely because most men across the country voted for him. The men Fadel spoke to varied in age and political affiliation, but they all agreed on two things: They loved to fish and they wanted change.
Beef is king in Texas. And its rising price has affected the quality of life. Martínez spoke with residents, business owners and farmers about what's driving the price hikes and how it may sway their vote.
Inskeep did some door-knocking in and around Marietta, Ga., north of Atlanta. The railroad tracks that split the city also split its residents across political lines. Inskeep spoke with voters on both sides. Come election day, he'll see which side turned out in greater numbers.
In Michigan, Trump made increasingly personal attacks against Democratic candidate for Senate Abdul El-Sayed, even calling him a "jihadist." Voters there told Martin that they are burned out and frustrated with the political system. Martin also spoke with Michigan voters about the effects of tariffs on their businesses and everyday lives.
The voters in these states gave Fadel, Martínez, Inskeep and Martin an in-depth perspective on how the battle for the Senate and House majorities may shake out come Election Day. Below they share their biggest takeaways from their trips:
Leila Fadel: "I can't forget about a mother and daughter who are Angolan asylum seekers. They run a daycare in the former mill town of Lewiston, Maine. They have kept the curtains drawn for months to not draw attention because of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's presence in their neighborhood. People in the state want change in the Senate and some find themselves moreso against the Republican incumbent rather than for the Democratic nominee."
A Martínez: "Marlene Escucha was watching her daughter play the flute at a game in San Antonio, Texas, when I met her. She's a Republican and has always voted along party lines, but she's not happy with the GOP right now. Her conflict is really between her Republican values and the actual performance of the party. She also mentioned she was going to try to discuss the options with her husband to make a decision, but it has been hard as they barely see each other due to their work schedules."
Steve Inskeep: "I want to highlight Ryan Dunlap. He is a member of Trump's coalition who is concerned about rising prices at his hardware store in rural Stokes County, N.C. He generally votes conservative and can't see how you can run a business without being conservative. However, this posed a conflict for him as he needed to focus on the candidates and make a decision.
There are also people in the Trump coalition who are sticking with the Republican Party. In particular, I think of a Marietta, Ga., voter who said Americans have a problem with delayed gratification. She felt that long-term things would get better, but that sentiment acknowledges that things are not going well for many Americans right now."
Michel Martin: "In Springfield, Ohio, the president made wild false accusations about Haitians that were almost immediately debunked. But Trump doubled down on this same argument. This made me wonder whether it might backfire, as many residents expressed heightened motivation to vote as a message to the administration.
I went to Michigan, where many were excited about flipping the Senate, but not everyone was happy with how campaigns were conducted. Many Black voters in the state felt dissatisfied with how the Democratic Party treated them. Some Jewish voters express skepticism about the Senate nominee, while others are upset by the campaign's tone, which they see as leaning into bigoted tropes."
Read and listen to all of Morning Edition's reporting on the road to the midterm on the NPR app. You'll find all of the hosts' stories from this month, plus playlists, podcast episodes, videos and more, all on the 2026 Election tab. You can also subscribe to the Up First Newsletter for more midterm election analysis and updates.
The radio interview was produced by Lilly Quiroz and Ziad Buchh and edited by Simone Popperl and Arezou Rezvani. The digital version was edited by Treye Green.
Copyright 2026 NPR
