Millions of Americans will head to the polls on 3 November in elections that will determine control of the Republican-held House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the governorships of 36 states.
asserted
that → head → states
The midterms come amid mounting public frustration over issues ranging from the rising cost of living and immigration to the climate crisis, artificial intelligence, big tech and the US’s overseas wars.
asserted
midterms → come → crisis
Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 36%, according to a New York Times/Siena poll conducted this month.
uncertain
rating → fall → poll
Voters across the US described to the Guardian their concerns and disillusionment with the current political climate, with one characterizing the country under the Trump administration as a “rogue nation, ungoverned by the rule of law”.
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one → describe → law
(Some respondents only shared their first name or declined to share their name for privacy reasons.)
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respondents → share → reasons
For many, the cost of living is a central concern ahead of the midterms, particularly as inflation reaches 3.7%.
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inflation → reach → %
Kathryn Warren, a retired staff member from Dare county schools who lives on Hatteras Island, North Carolina, said she and her husband had already voted early.
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she → live → Island
“We are dying on the vine in this economy.
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We → die → economy
We live in a remote area and the cost of gas is taking a big chunk of our social security.
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cost → live → security
The medicine that keeps me alive costs $7,000 a month before insurance.
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that → keep → insurance
In what world is that reasonable?” Warren said.
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Warren → say → ?
A 36-year-old counsellor in Tennessee described financial pressures compounded by health issues and expressed concern about the US “sliding into an authoritarian state”.
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US → describe → state
“I have a migraine medication that costs nearly $2,000 out-of-pocket for a month’s supply.
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that → have → supply
My health insurance has agreed to pay for five months.
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insurance → agree → months
That’s it.
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That → ’ → ?
After 24 years of chronic migraines, I have tried everything under the sun and this is the first medication that has ever reduced the pain levels, so it isn’t like I can try some cheaper, knock-off brand.
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I → try → brand
But I find it absurd and financially prohibitive to spend that much on medication every month,” she said.
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she → find → medication
Vicki Stein, a 66-year-old retired marketing communications professional from Alpine Township, Michigan, said she had already voted for Democrats across the ticket.
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she → say → ticket
“Working Americans can’t afford healthcare, let alone gas nor groceries due to tariffs, and children are losing Snap benefits while we blow our gold on [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s war.
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we → work → war
We can’t even trust our lettuce under this administration’s [Department of Health and Human Services],” she said, referring to a cyclospora outbreak across 27 states this summer that was traced to contaminated lettuce.
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that → trust → lettuce
George, a 23-year-old business school graduate in Houston, Texas, also linked the affordability crisis to the administration’s policies, criticizing “Trump’s idiotic tariff scheme”.
“The priorities of both parties are clearly more in line with billionaires than regular people …
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priorities → link → people
It has been heartening to see politicians like [James] Talarico abandon that side of politics to focus on affordability and quality of life for average Americans.
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politicians → see → Americans
Who cares about 1% of the population when everyone is struggling?”
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everyone → care → population
George also criticized the US’s war in Iran and called for the US to divest from Israel, saying: “Billions upon billions of American taxpayer dollars spent on killing children.
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billions → criticize → children
No matter how you cut it, all we get from our investment in Israel is a mountain of dead bodies.
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we → cut → bodies
Any politician who refuses Aipac money or promises to stop funding Israel’s perma-war has my vote and many other Americans’ as well.”
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who → refuse → vote
Opposition to the US war in Iran and military aid to Israel remains a driving concern among voters.
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Opposition → remain → voters
Joel Young, a 66-year-old retired civil litigator in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said: “The single most important issue in any election for federal office is whether the candidate or incumbent will approve another dollar, weapon, or material to support Israel, or support the US’s historical pattern of cover for Israel’s apartheid regime and program of ethnic cleansing in place since 1948, which has now clearly become genocidal.”
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which → say → 1948
A 30-year-old machine operator and father in Bogalusa, Louisiana, who voted for Trump in 2024, also criticized the “evil war against Iran which must end”.
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which → vote → Iran
“Every day it continues is another day that the president scandalizes our service members, taxpayers and nation.
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president → continue → members
It’s also another day of stealing present day purchasing power from embattled American workers, stealing future prosperity from our children through a climbing national debt and stealing tranquility from people in the Middle East,” he added.
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he → ’ → East
Beyond economic pressures and foreign policy, voters also raised concerns about the growing influence of AI and big tech.
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voters → raise → AI
Dave Neps, a 74-year-old retired teacher in Georgia, said: “I’m … concerned about the AI financial bubble.
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I → say → bubble
This market reminds me of the dotcom crash in the late 90s and the financial crash in 2008.
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market → remind → 2008
My wife and I lost money both times in those markets.
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wife → lose → markets
Now I’m looking at a pension and a country that’s heavily invested in AI that so many of us don’t want.
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many → look → us
Give these guys time and they’ll just turn it into another commodity that we’ll have to pay for like cable TV.
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we → give → TV
Joy, a 47-year-old insurance executive in north Georgia, similarly raised concerns about the expansion of datacenters and the influence of technology companies on local government.
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Joy → raise → government
“I live in rural Georgia where they are buying off local officials to build datacenters and the county and city reps are ignoring their constituents and offering massive tax incentives,” she said, calling for datacenter moratoriums.
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she → live → moratoriums
The climate crisis and environmental protection were also prominent concerns, particularly among older voters who described witnessing the degradation of natural spaces over their lifetimes.
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who → describe → lifetimes
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
