Voters in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Ohio describe national decline ahead of midterms

Shane Dunn, a 65-year-old former chef living in Levittown, Pennsylvania, cast his first-ever ballot during the early voting period leading up to the midterms. Dunn, who moved to the Philadelphia suburbs after a career cooking along the East Coast, cited his growing awareness of national affairs as the reason for his participation. He voted for Democratic candidates while standing outside his polling location in a black sweatshirt bearing an 'I Voted' sticker.

Voters across the country are determining which party will control the Senate and House of Representatives, alongside selecting governors and other state leaders for the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. Interviews with dozens of early voters reveal a shared perception that the United States they know is fading. Many cited illegalities by lawmakers, political polarization, corruption, and the influence of billionaires as reasons for their distress. High gas prices also featured prominently in their concerns.

Arthur Horner, a 59-year-old food importer in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, described his vote as an attempt to halt national chaos. His business has been affected by tariffs, and he supported Democratic candidates. In Sioux City, Iowa, Elizabeth Marlett, a 61-year-old cattle rancher, voted Republican at the Woodbury County courthouse. Marlett expressed concern over chemicals in processed foods, her son’s difficulties securing veteran benefits, and what she views as a societal shift to the left. She stated that family values are disappearing and that citizens must stop remaining silent to protect their freedoms and religious rights.

Frustration with the current administration’s tone and tactics is evident among both supporters and critics. Linda Markle, a 72-year-old Democrat in Warminster, Pennsylvania, said the president is destroying the country and fostering division. She noted that people used to care about one another but now primarily hate each other, a change she attributed to the president’s behavior. Chris Smith, a 27-year-old software engineer in Harrisburg who voted for Trump in 2024, agreed that the president is losing his mind in some aspects but supported his efforts to return manufacturing to the U.S. and his tariff goals. Smith voted Republican, believing the party is more fiscally responsible.

In Wayne County, Ohio, retired home healthcare worker Lori Wilkinson and her husband David, a cleaner, described themselves as independents who previously voted for George W. Bush. David called Trump the worst president in U.S. history, noting the daily uncertainty of his actions. Lori worried that a strong Democratic victory might cause Trump to lose control completely. Therese Mennell, a Trump supporter in the same area, acknowledged the president’s arrogance and speaking style but believed he was saving the country. In Topeka, Kansas, 20-year-old Samontae Mwangi and 19-year-old Gathenya Mwangi, both first-time voters working at a railroad structure plant, cast Democratic ballots. They were accompanied by their grandfather, Lynn Henderson, a retired Goodyear worker and Marine Corps sergeant, who hoped the election would bring political change.

Denise Wunder, a former sandwich shop manager and Trump supporter, identified unauthorized immigration as her top issue and described the president as the country’s last hope. In Henrico County, Virginia, retired couple Joan and Frank Bark voted Republican. Frank expressed fear that Trump’s ego is affecting his decision-making, though he disliked the decisions of the extreme left. Joan felt Democrats were focused mostly on hating Trump rather than offering solutions. In Nanuet, New York, nurse Primrose D. Sullivan, an independent, mocked Trump’s suggestion that voters treat him as a candidate. She voted Democrat, arguing that medical professionals rely on facts, not hypotheticals, and criticized the influence of billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk on policy.

Benjamin Updegraft, a former Republican who now identifies as a Democrat, voted for the Democratic Senate candidate in Fort Mill, South Carolina. He cited Musk’s restriction of Starlink service in Ukraine and Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign ad featuring his rival’s mother as examples of powerful men needing to be checked. Updegraft described the need to remove the current leadership as if removing a cancer. In Scottsdale, Arizona, David Lee, a conservative who voted for Trump in 2024, switched to voting Democrat for governor and House races. He argued that Trump’s strict immigration policies lack a legal basis.