WASHINGTON: Republicans and Democrats struck the final blow on Monday ahead of a midterm election that could derail Joe Biden's presidency, destroy Western support for Ukraine, and even kill Donald Trump. Could pave the way for Trump's return.
Through early voting options, over 4 crore votes have been cast, indicating that the result was clear even before the nationwide polling began on Tuesday.
Biden told supporters that "if we're able to survive, we're going to be in incredible shape" despite the fact that Democrats face an uphill battle to keep control of Congress.
Also Read: Iran claims Tajikistan-born gunman was responsible for the shrine attack.
We're up against some of the darkest forces we've ever seen in our history, admitting that "it sounds like a very high expectation."
Biden ended days endorsing Democratic candidates at a rally near Baltimore on Monday night. He framed his closing statement as a reminder that American democracy is on the line.
Trump held a rally in Ohio while he was under investigation for stealing secret documents and attempted to rig the 2020 election. Trump has been teasing a potential White House in 2024 throughout the midterm elections.
In a belligerent speech to supporters in Dayton, Trump declared: "If you support the fall and fall of America, you must definitely vote for radical leftists, crazy people.
"Tomorrow, if you want to prevent the oblivion of our nation, you must vote Republican in a massive red wave." The increasingly far-right party planned to disrupt the remainder of Biden's first term with aggressive scrutiny and opposition to spending plans as polls indicated Republicans were likely to win the House of Representatives.
Also Read: ISRO Wants to Explore the Moon's Dark Side with Japan
Kevin McCarthy, who will likely succeed the president as Speaker of the House, ruled out the possibility of starting the impeachment process.
"We will never use impeachment for political purposes. That doesn't mean something won't be used at any other time, if it does arise on occasion," McCarthy told CNN.
A key question was whether the US Senate would also switch sides, making Biden essentially a lame duck. Biden will witness the demise of his legislative agenda if Democrats lose control of Congress.
It will raise concerns about everything from the president's plans to address the climate crisis at the COP27 conference in Egypt this week to Republican reluctance to maintain the level of US financial and military support for Ukraine.
Also Read: Why there is such a high demand for Asian-American voters in Nevada
McCarthy told CNN that there could be no "blank check" while maintaining his support for the fight for Ukraine, approving the party's separatist Trump wing and perhaps sending shivering through Kyiv.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, an oligarch with ties to the Kremlin, claimed that Russia was trying to influence the outcome, heighten tensions and remind them of Moscow's ambiguous role in American politics during the Trump administration.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed Prigozin's claim as "not surprising", assuring voters that there is no "specific, credible threat" to election security from domestic sources.
Additionally, Jean-Pierre expressed his belief that even if the Republicans win the midterm election, US support for Ukraine "will remain unshakeable and unwavering."