Donald Trump's popularity remains near record lows, with a new survey showing only 36% of Americans approve of his performance as president. (EPA Images pic)WASHINGTON: One hundred days before the US midterm elections, president Donald Trump's Republicans are staring down polling that points to the loss of the House of Representatives and a ferocious battle to retain the Senate.Trump will not appear on the ballot on Nov 3, but the stakes for his presidency could hardly be higher.A Democratic House would give the party control of powerful committees and subpoena authority, likely subjecting Trump's administration to two years of investigations and potentially exposing him to a third impeachment drive.Republicans enter the final stretch with a historically narrow House majority, weak presidential approval ratings and an electorate increasingly unhappy about living costs and the grinding war with Iran.US elections website Decision Desk HQ predicts that the Democratic Party has a 59% chance of winning the House, forecasting a 224-211 majority.The president's party usually loses ground in midterm elections, and only a handful of seats need to change hands.Gasoline prices have climbed above US$4 a gallon as the Iran war disrupts energy markets, inflation remains elevated and interest rates are high.Polling cited by Democrats suggests voters now trust them more than Republicans on inflation, health care and even immigration, long considered a Republican strength."Donald Trump and Republicans have failed the American people," House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday, announcing an affordability campaign built around groceries, gasoline, housing and health care.'Work to do'Republicans insist the election will offer a choice between what Speaker Mike Johnson calls "common sense" and an increasingly progressive Democratic Party.They plan to highlight border enforcement and tax cuts while portraying Democratic candidates as aligned with the socialist left.Trump is pressing every available advantage.He has waged a prolonged campaign for congressional Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, which he portrays as essential to preventing election fraud but Democrats condemn as an attempt to suppress legitimate votes.Republicans have been considerably more successful in another effort to shape the electorate: redrawing congressional maps.Both parties have trie…
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