Midterms 2018: Early voting sees record-breaking turnout as Oprah heads on campaign trail for Stacey Abrams

The major elections are less than a week away

US Midterms 2018: The five big questions

The US is just four days away from the 2018 midterm elections on 6 November and races around the country are heating up.

Democrats are attempting to gain control of the US House and Senate in the wake of a contentious, partisan battle over the newly-confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

There are several state and local races of importance, too, as the parties square off for control of state legislatures and local city councils.

Follow our liveblog below for all the latest as the elections approach

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Key Points

• Here are 7 things to look out for in the first election since Donald Trump's win
• Beto O'Rourke another target of suspect who sent pipe bombs to prominent Democrats
• Five graphs to help you understand the 2018 midterms 

[31 October 2018 18:30 · Chris Riotta]

There are six days left until the first election since Donald Trump was elected president of the United States — and he appears to be taking advantage of every minute and resource at his disposal in order to help garner support for the Republican Party. 

The Washington Post has just published this piece detailing what it’s like inside the White House during midterm hell week, writing, “President Trump is mobilizing the vast powers of the military and other parts of the federal government to help bolster Republican election efforts, using the office of the presidency in an attempt to dictate the campaigns’ closing themes and stoke the fears and anxieties of his supporters ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.”

[31 October 2018 18:50 · Chris Riotta]

Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle have released this video ahead of the midterm elections urging their supporters to “vote Republican,” promising to “Make America great.”

The video - complete with climactic background music - goes on to attack the “mainstream media” and “liberal mob”.

[31 October 2018 19:10 · Chris Riotta]

With a recent surge in Democratic support, it appears a more realistic pursuit than ever for the Democratic Party to take back the House in the upcoming midterms. 

But can they really do it? Reporter Clark Mindock analyses the path to victory.

[1 November 2018 13:55 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

There are just five days until the first nationwide election after Donald Trump became president. 

Here is a recap of the seven things we are watching for in the 2018 midterms. 

[1 November 2018 14:01 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

A string of packages containing pipe bombs and one with a suspicious "white powder" were sent to several prominent Democrats and news network CNN - all vocal critics and targets of Mr Trump. 

Suspect Cesar Sayoc, arrested last week in Florida, is said to have had a list of 100 potential targets and the upstart Democratic Senate candidate in Texas, Beto O'Rourke may have been one of them. 

Mr O'Rourke's race against Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz is one of the most hotly-contested, expensive races this year. 

[1 November 2018 14:12 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Another major race the country has its eyes on is Democrat Stacey Abrams' bid to become the first African-American female governor in the US and Georgia's first female governor as she runs against Republican and current Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. 

The Independent followed Ms Abrams on the campaign trail around Atlanta, Georgia. 

Read more here: 

[1 November 2018 15:39 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Ms Abrams' and Mr Kemp's race has the makings of a top-rate political drama: racial tensions evoking the troubled past of the American south, the historic oppression of black women even after the civil rights movement, accusations of voter suppression levied at Mr Kemp whose secretary of state office monitors state elections, and celebrity turnout. 

But it is anything but fiction as Ms Abrams draws the likes of Barack Obama and Oprah to the campaign trail in what could be the biggest victory the country has seen since Mr Obama's in 2008. 

Here's another report from The Independent's time in Georgia. 

[1 November 2018 16:06 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Cygnal, a national polling firm, has just released the latest results which show Mr Kemp leading Ms Abrams by 2 points, 49 per cent to 47 per cent. 

The poll was conducted live telephone survey conducted 28 -30 October but also indicated only 39 per cent of those surveyed had participated in the state's early voting. 

A Fox News poll just a few days ago however, showed Ms Abrams leading but within the margin of error. 

She noted that margin of error in right-leaning news organisation's poll was really "whether you show up to the polls" to voters gathered in an Atlanta barbershop for a campaign event which The Independent attended. 

[1 November 2018 16:16 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Cygnal also indicated to The Independent another race the country was watching was in a "statistical tie". 

The race to become Florida's next governor is heavily dependent on supporters of Mr Trump.

“President Trump’s image is weighing heavily on Florida voters as they pick their next governor and US Senator,” said Josh Pendergrass Cygnal’s director of client strategy.

“The key is going to be who shows up to vote and the final partisan composition. If supporters of the president turn out, Republicans will probably win, if not, Democrats have a shot at both the Governor’s mansion and maintaining their US Senate seat, he noted.

As Democrat and current Tallahassee, Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum and Republican candidate Ron DeSantis fight it out so do Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Rick Scott, who is the term-limited current governor of the state which Mr Trump won in 2016. 

[1 November 2018 17:13 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Oprah was just stumping for Stacey Abrams and quashed any rumours she was there for a potential run for office herself. 

She said: "I want to make it very clear ... I don't want to run, okay? I'm not trying to test any waters. Don't want to go in those waters. I'm here today because of Stacey Abrams". 

"I've earned the right to think for myself and to vote for myself, and that's why I am a registered independent," the billionaire multimedia mogul said. It appeared to be a direct appeal to her own diverse fanbase to come and vote for the Democratic candidate for Georgia governor.