From Iran to AI: the six key voter issues shaping the US midterm elections

Voters will decide next month whether Democrats take back power in Washington, and the contest doubles as a referendum on Donald Trump's second term. Polls put his approval at the weakest level of either of his presidencies, dragged down by frustration over the economy and by a war with Iran that many Americans oppose, according to The Guardian.

An Associated Press-NORC survey found just 26% endorsing how Trump handles the economy, which is two percentage points under Joe Biden's lowest mark. The Iran conflict compounds that, since Tehran's shutdown of the strait of Hormuz has pushed up what drivers pay for gasoline. It also contradicts Trump's promise to avoid endless overseas wars, and Democrats plus some Republicans object that Congress never approved it.

Immigration, once among Trump's proudest achievements, has softened as violent clashes involving ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents persuaded many that enforcement overreached. Democrats are casting the vote as a chance to restrain the president amid corruption allegations. Artificial intelligence is also in play: most voters view it unfavorably, and as many as 70% oppose data centers near them, though Trump promotes the technology.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →