US Midterm Elections 2026: Beyond the Race, A Nation in Focus

On election nights and after, the results and race calls are essential, but it’s what it all means that matters most. No less so on November 3rd when US voters decide the crucial US midterm elections, with the world watching.

From coast to coast, AFP has already started drawing upon its newsgathering power to provide full coverage to global audiences through every stage of the US midterm election cycle.  

Speed and accuracy, analysis, human angles, strong images, and data visualization are AFP’s editorial priorities, while never taking our eyes off the national picture.

In a saturated media eco-system, AFP’s editorial goal is to help clients stand out to their audiences with a unique and broader perspective on US politics. 

For the 2026 US midterm election cycle, AFP has mobilized its teams of journalists to provide original and compelling coverage of the campaign, the candidates and the polarizing issues at the heart of the ballot. 

AFP’s text, video and photo journalists have been crisscrossing the country to gauge the national mood ahead of what could be one of the most consequential legislative elections in recent memory.  With Democrats hopeful of securing control of both houses of Congress, the outcome will set the stage for Donald Trump’s final two years in the White House, while also sounding the starting pistol on the race to replace him.

“We try not to look from a purely American perspective. We look for stories that have a local hook, a national impact and a global reach,” said Giles Hewitt, AFP’s editor-in-chief for North America. AFP has been present in the United States since 1943 and has several bureaus there, giving it a sound knowledge of the ground and access to reliable sources and first-hand information. Its global network, spanning 210 locations worldwide, will also enable the agency to report on the results and reactions across the country, as well as the international repercussions.

In the run-up to Election Day, AFP’s editorial teams are providing the fundamentals: reporting on the most important races, profiling key candidates and providing backgrounders, explainers and analysis on the elections themselves. Crucially, our journalists are focused on putting human faces to hot-button issues from cost-of-living to immigration and healthcare to artificial intelligence. 

One example is AFP’s story “Trump’s ‘No Tax on Tips’ bet falls flat in Las Vegas". Watch the video related to the story:

Clients can access this story now, along with the rest of AFP’s ‘one-month’ curated package of related stories. An additional series of in-depth, election-linked reports from multiple datelines will be filed over the coming weeks.

Preview of an AFP News Coverage Advisory sent to AFP's clients: 

WASHINGTON. A month before the US midterms, Democrats are eyeing control of Congress -- and the power to put President Donald Trump on the defensive for the rest of his term by investigating his administration and stalling his agenda. US-vote-midterms. ADVANCER 700 words + PICTURE + VIDEO

WASHINGTON. What's more volatile than President Donald Trump? The answer may be a lame duck Donald Trump after the US midterm elections.US-vote-midterms-Trump. FOCUS 650 words.

MACON, Georgia. Tierra Hollis fans herself with a sheaf of flyers in the late summer heat of the southern US state of Georgia, as she goes door-to-door as part of the Black Voters Matter Fund's push to fight alleged disenfranchisement after recent electoral law changes. US-vote-midterms-law. REPORTAGE 750 words+ PICTURE + VIDEO

ROME, Georgia. When Akyn and Noah Beck took charge as county election directors in rural Georgia in the wake of the 2020 US presidential election, they knew they'd be stepping into a maelstrom of conspiracy theories spread by the man who lost that election, Donald Trump. US-vote-midterm-rights.  PROFILE 750 words + PICTURE + VIDEO

WASHINGTON. The US midterm campaign is playing out against an unusually combustible mix of economic anxiety, war, immigration battles, corruption concerns and unease over rapidly expanding artificial intelligence. US-vote-midterms-issues. FOCUS 750 words. 

An example of AFP's distinctive approach to reporting on US politics was an exclusive photo shot by award-winning photographer Brendan Smialowski, who has covered the White House for many years, weeks ahead of Election Day.

Taken through the windows of Air Force One, the photos show Donald Trump examining a sign that appeared to show the razing of the Kennedy Center, the iconic Washington arts hub that the US president has threatened to close unless his name is added to it.

"The president was taking longer than usual" to get off the plane, Smialowski said. "I was just keeping an eye on my surroundings, watching the stairs. I particularly watch the windows, because you can see people moving behind them, which gives you a bit of advance warning when you know the president or someone else is about to come down." 

He then noticed that Trump "was sitting in a seat that didn't make sense to me", and took a series of shots that have since been picked up by the American press and widely shared on social media. 

The images generated widespread discussion and were picked up by news organizations across the United States. They were later cited in a court filing challenging Trump's overhaul of the Kennedy Center. Asked by AFP about the viral photos, the White House said that "for years, Democrats have allowed the Kennedy Center to fall into disrepair, letting water damage and crumbling infrastructure turn a national treasure into a dilapidated building". 

The images reflect AFP's ability to identify and capture meaningful moments beyond the day's scheduled events.

Discover AFP’s best photos from the midterm elections

AFP will be mobilizing dozens of journalists from all our US bureaus to provide coverage of the results, as well as reporting live from candidates' headquarters. Video and photo journalists will be live on site at the main voting centers. 

AFP's award-winning photojournalists will be stationed at candidate headquarters and key polling sites across the country, capturing the distinctive, high-quality images that set AFP apart. State-of-the-art workflows and technology will get pictures to clients as events unfold. 

Supplemented by its partnership with Getty Images, AFP will give clients the most comprehensive coverage of the election. 

In text, alerts on key results will move as they come in, along with sidebars, profiles and analysis on prominent candidates and significant milestones of the night. As the shape of the Congressional make-up emerges, a package of angled stories will highlight the stakes going forward.

Data visualisation: explainers, including animations 

AFP's data visualization teams will cover the US midterm elections through a package of data-rich illustrated graphics and animated explainers, for use in digital, broadcast and social platforms. 

The graphics will focus on a wide range of related topics: the makeup of the outgoing Congress, the balance of party power and how the midterms become a high-stakes test for the president. Engaging and informative animations will also explain how the midterms work, demystify gerrymandering and explore the roles of the US House and Senate, providing essential context to help audiences understand the American political system. 

Available in TV-ready broadcast formats, they include high-quality "stock shots" and 3D renderings of the US Capitol and the White House. 

On Election Night, AFP will provide an illustrated "results map" for both the Senate and the House, updated regularly by the Data Visualization team in coordination with the Washington DC news desk, as significant ballot result data comes in. 

As public concern grows over disinformation, AFP's digital investigations team will rely on our global network to provide 24/7 monitoring for false claims during election week. Editorial priorities include confronting unfounded claims of election fraud or noncitizen voting and debunking misinformation spread by podcasters and social media influencers. 

“We know misinformation is borderless and travels in many languages,” said Marisha Goldhamer, AFP’s head of digital investigations for North America. “It is very possible that our colleagues will see something in Chinese, French or Spanish. We should be taking advantage of the whole network in order to be sure that we're addressing things as quickly as possible.” 

AFP has partnered with five other US fact-checking organizations to provide a weekly pop-up newsletter debunking deceptive 2026 midterm ads and election disinformation. The first of its kind collaboration for US fact-checkers aims to amplify the best verification articles around the election as we work to improve the quality of the information ecosystem.

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