Why do the US midterms matter for Trump and Congress?

The United States midterms on November 3 are dominating national and international headlines.The stakes of the election are high. The midterm race will determine which party controls the US Congress, and in turn, shape the direction of Trump’s final two years in office. It will also decide key state and local positions.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump faces bipartisan backlash over Russia sanctions waiverlist 2 of 3There is no split in MAGAlist 3 of 3‘No Kings’ protests spread across the US ahead of midterm electionsend of listBut notching big wins in the midterm election may not be enough to shake up the balance of power in Washington, DC.To understand the implications of this year’s midterm election and what may come next, Al Jazeera has put together this simple primer.Here’s why the US midterms matter at the federal level.Battle for the US House of Representatives and US SenateMidterm elections fall at the halfway point of a president’s term, meaning the executive office will not be on the ballot.Front and centre will be the battle for control of Congress. Two chambers make up the US legislature: the House of Representatives and the Senate.Because members of t...