With the midterm elections now just four weeks away, NPR's Morning Edition is launching a reporting tour across six states expected to host some of the most closely watched and competitive races in the country. The initiative is designed to capture, in voters' own words, the factors driving their decisions as they prepare to cast ballots that could reshape the balance of power in Congress.
The states on the itinerary are Maine, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and Michigan. Each has been selected because of its potential to influence which party controls the House and Senate after the votes are counted. By spending time in these battlegrounds, the program aims to move beyond poll numbers and provide a grounded, on-the-ground sense of what is motivating the electorate.
The tour comes at a pivotal moment in the election cycle. Early voting has already begun in several parts of the country, including Virginia, where voters started casting ballots on September 18 at locations such as the Arlington County Courthouse. That milestone signals that the campaign season is entering its final, most intense phase, and that the window for undecided voters to make up their minds is closing quickly.
While the reporting tour is intended to gather fresh perspectives, there are already indications of the national mood. The most recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that registered voters prefer Democratic candidates for Congress over Republican candidates by a margin of 12 percentage points. That advantage, if it holds, would represent a significant shift in the generic congressional ballot and could have major implications for the makeup of the next Congress.
The survey also sheds light on how President Trump is factoring into voters' calculations. According to the poll, 45% of respondents said their vote for Congress would essentially be a vote against the president. By contrast, only about one-quarter said they intended their vote to express support for him. That asymmetry suggests that, for a substantial share of the electorate, the midterms are functioning at least partly as a referendum on the sitting president and his agenda.
Such a dynamic is not unusual in midterm elections, which historically tend to favor the party out of power. When a president's approval rating is underwater or when a significant bloc of voters is motivated primarily by opposition to the White House, the president's party often loses seats in Congress. The current polling figures suggest that Republicans could face a challenging environment, though the eventual outcome will depend on district-level dynamics, turnout and the specific candidates on the ballot.
The six states selected by Morning Edition reflect a cross-section of the country's political geography. Maine, with its mix of rural and suburban communities and its independent streak, often features competitive races that can swing either way. Texas, long a Republican stronghold, has seen increasingly close contests in recent cycles as demographic changes and suburban shifts have altered its political landscape.
North Carolina and Georgia, both in the South, have emerged as perennial battlegrounds where control of the Senate and the outcome of presidential contests have hinged on narrow margins. Ohio, once considered a quintessential swing state, has trended more Republican in recent years but still hosts competitive races that draw national attention. Michigan, part of the industrial Midwest, remains a key prize with a diverse electorate and a history of tight statewide elections.
By visiting these states, Morning Edition hopes to hear directly from voters about the issues that matter most to them. Those concerns could range from the economy and inflation to health care, immigration, education and the state of democracy itself. The program's reporting will likely explore how these priorities differ from region to region and how they are shaping decisions in races that could determine control of Congress.
The stakes for the midterms are considerable. Every seat in the House and roughly a third of the Senate will be on the ballot. If Democrats are able to capitalize on their current polling advantage, they could flip enough seats to win majorities in one or both chambers, which would give them the ability to set the legislative agenda, conduct oversight of the executive branch and block or advance key presidential priorities.
Conversely, if Republicans defy the historical pattern and the current polling, they could preserve or expand their majorities, enabling them to continue shaping federal policy on taxes, spending, energy and social issues. The outcome will also influence the political landscape heading into the next presidential election cycle, as both parties jockey for momentum and messaging advantages.
The Morning Edition tour is part of a broader effort to provide listeners with substantive, voter-focused coverage in the final stretch of the campaign. By grounding its reporting in the experiences and viewpoints of people across six key states, the program aims to offer a nuanced picture of an electorate that is diverse, divided and deeply engaged in the choices ahead.
With only weeks remaining before Election Day, the reporting will serve as a timely snapshot of a nation poised to make consequential decisions at the ballot box. The stories that emerge from Maine, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and Michigan will help illuminate not only who might win, but also why voters are making the choices they are — and what those choices could mean for the country's future.
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