Americans vote in the midterm elections in November, and the stakes are high. Here is what the races will decide and why they matter.

Midterms are held halfway through a president’s term. Voters will pick all 435 House seats, about a third of the Senate, and many governors and state offices. The results decide who controls Congress for the rest of Donald Trump’s term.

If Republicans keep Congress, Trump’s agenda moves faster. If Democrats win one or both chambers, they can block bills, launch investigations and shape spending. Control of a single chamber is enough to stall a president’s plans.

This year’s campaign is unusual. AI-generated political ads have appeared on TV and social media for the first time, with about 80 million dollars spent on them. Most carry no disclosure that AI was used.

Trump has been rallying for Republicans, even promising payouts if his party wins. Democrats are attacking his policies on the economy and immigration. Polls suggest tight races in the states that will decide the Senate.

The outcome will shape everything from taxes to foreign policy for the next two years. Voters in battleground states will effectively decide the direction of the country.