Ohio and Michigan voters weigh cost of living, immigration as Congress votes open

Election Day arrives this Tuesday as campaign ads and rallies pause. The race for control of the Senate and the House of Representatives is expected to end with very small margins. President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama spent the final weeks of the campaign on the road supporting candidates in these tight contests.

In October, NPR hosts traveled to six states to speak with voters across the political spectrum. They visited Maine, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan. The goal was to understand how specific issues are influencing how people vote in the November midterms.

In Ohio, President Trump made claims about Haitians in Springfield. He described a story that was quickly proven wrong, but he continued to repeat the argument. Many residents said this doubled down on the issue and increased their motivation to vote. They viewed their ballot as a message to the current administration.

Michel Martin also traveled to Michigan, where voters expressed strong interest in changing the composition of the Senate. However, not all voters were pleased with the conduct of the campaigns. Many Black voters said they were dissatisfied with how the Democratic Party treated them during the race. Some Jewish voters expressed doubts about the Senate nominee, while others criticized the campaign tone for leaning into bigoted tropes.

In North Carolina, reporter Steve Inskeep spoke with Ryan Dunlap, a hardware store owner in rural Stokes County. Dunlap is part of the Trump coalition and votes conservative. He said he cannot see how one can run a business without holding conservative values. However, rising prices at his store created a conflict for him as he evaluated the candidates. He said he needed to focus on the individuals running rather than just the party label.

Inskeep also spoke with a voter in Marietta, Georgia, who said Americans have a problem with delayed gratification. The voter believed that long-term conditions would improve, even though the current situation is difficult for many people. This sentiment highlights the tension between immediate economic pain and long-term political trust.

In Maine, Leila Fadel spoke with men who go fly fishing. They varied in age and party affiliation but agreed they wanted change. She also met an Angolan mother and daughter who run a daycare in Lewiston. They have kept their curtains drawn for months to avoid attention from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Voters in Maine want a change in the Senate, and some are more motivated by their opposition to the Republican incumbent than by support for the Democratic nominee.

In Texas, rising beef prices have affected the quality of life for residents and business owners. Reporter A Martinez spoke with Marlene Escucha, a Republican who has voted with her party for years. Escucha said she is unhappy with the GOP right now. She is trying to decide how to vote based on her values versus the party's performance. She noted that she and her husband rarely see each other due to their work schedules, making it hard to discuss their choices.