'I think we are going to do great': Trump holds final midterms rally at Reflecting Pool

US President Donald Trump on Monday used Washington's Reflecting Pool as the backdrop for a final appeal to Republican voters ahead of the midterm elections, as Democrats appeared increasingly likely to secure major electoral gains. The landmark, whose troubled renovation has become a symbol of the controversies surrounding Trump's second term, provided the setting for a speech aimed at rallying Republican support against an anticipated Democratic victory. "This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime," Trump said 26 minutes into his speech. However, much of his address focused on his plans to renovate monuments and landmarks in the US capital rather than key voter concerns such as inflation and the Iran war.

Opinion polls suggest Democrats are well-positioned to take control of the House of Representatives and have a strong chance of winning the Senate in Tuesday's elections. Such an outcome would create the first significant political constraints on Trump since he assumed office nearly two years ago. Voter dissatisfaction with the economy has increased, while Trump's approval ratings have fallen to record lows. Despite these concerns, Trump repeatedly returned to his interest in renovating the Reflecting Pool and other Washington landmarks during his speech.

"This project should be a project that unites all Americans," Trump said. The Reflecting Pool is among Washington's most historic locations and is particularly associated with Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963, delivered from the steps of the nearby Lincoln Memorial. Trump said on Sunday that he selected the location just to show how beautiful it is. However, his approximately $15 million renovation project has encountered several setbacks, which he has blamed on alleged saboteurs without providing evidence.

Although Trump has continued to predict a Republican victory, he acknowledged the possibility of facing a different political situation following the elections. In an interview released Monday by the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast, he discussed how he would respond if Republicans lost. "I think we're going to do great, but if we didn't win, I veto everything," he said. “I'll be vetoing, vetoing. And then they'll come along and we'll probably make some deals along the way.” A Democratic victory in the House would give the party greater influence over the federal budget and control of committees that could investigate allegations of corruption involving Trump, the Epstein files and other contentious issues. If Democrats also secure the Senate, they would gain the ability to block Trump's lifetime judicial appointments, including nominations to the Supreme Court.

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'Ransack, rape and plunder'

Democrats prepared for their final campaign rallies in key battleground states, including Texas, where James Talarico is campaigning, and Kansas, where Adam Hamilton is seeking an upset victory in the Senate race. Both candidates are hoping to secure significant electoral breakthroughs. Kansas has not elected a Democratic senator in nearly a century, while Texas remains a strong Republican state.

Despite favourable polling, Democrats have been cautious about predicting an outright victory. Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock described the party's mood in an interview with CNN as 'nauseously optimistic'. Republicans have conducted an aggressive campaign, portraying Democrats as communists and labelling Michigan's Muslim Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, a terrorist.

Democrats have also experienced internal divisions, with progressive candidates occasionally clashing with the party establishment. On Sunday, Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers against El-Sayed in Michigan's crucial Senate contest. Stevens had lost a closely fought primary to El-Sayed in August, despite receiving support from the party establishment.

Senate race remains competitive

Although Democrats appear strongly positioned to take control of the House of Representatives, the Senate contest remains much closer. Democrats need to secure a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber. Achieving this would require them to flip seats in states that Trump won by double-digit margins two years ago. Election forecaster Decision Desk HQ projected Democrats would win the Senate by 52-48 and secure a comfortable House majority of 241-194.

The final New York Times/Siena poll, released on Sunday evening, showed Democrats leading in all seven of the most competitive Senate contests. However, five of those races remained within the margin of error. While Tuesday is the official election day, a record 54 million Americans have already cast their ballots.

The midterm election campaigns have also attracted approximately $11 billion in advertising expenditure, with significant contributions coming from wealthy individual donors. Elon Musk, a close Trump ally who led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative to reduce federal government spending, has contributed nearly half a billion dollars to support Republican candidates.