Every midterm election asks Americans what kind of country they want over the next two years. This November, the stakes include life, religious liberty, border security, the economy, and which party controls the Senate and House. Intercessors who want to pray with focus need to know where the key races stand.

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From The Epoch Times: 

Voters’ decisions in the upcoming November midterms are set to reshape the balance of Washington and beyond. Democrats are seeking to capitalize on favorability ratings that fell below 40 percent for Republicans in the latest RealClearPolitics summary of polling.

The Senate is seen as a more hotly contested battleground. Currently, Republicans hold 53 seats to Democrats’ 47. Just four pick-ups for Democrats, who are leading or holding their own in red states like Iowa and Ohio, would flip the balance of the upper chamber.

Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has built a campaign based around his Christian values as a seminarian and on his track record as a state legislator.

The House is expected to change hands. Historically, the party that holds the White House loses seats in a president’s sixth year, a pattern known as the “six-year itch.” Mid-decade redistricting gives Republicans a slight edge in the new maps, so Democratic gains could leave a slim majority. Pew Research found that the economy is the top concern for Americans, and it is the driving issue for 29 percent of voters. Data centers have also become a priority as the primary season ends. Republicans argue that some progressive and democratic socialist-aligned candidates are pulling the Democratic Party too far left for average Americans.

The Senate map is wide. In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff leads Rep. Mike Collins in nearly every poll, though Trump carried the state by about 2.2 points in 2024. In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins trails most Democratic challengers after Troy Jackson replaced Graham Platner on the ballot. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads former Rep. Mike Rogers by about four points. In Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown is running against Sen. Jon Husted. In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico, who has led in most recent polls. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley, and the Senate Leadership Fund pulled its money from that race. In Kansas, Sen. Roger Marshall and pastor Adam Hamilton are in a close race, and in Nebraska, Sen. Pete Ricketts and independent Dan Osborn are close as well.

The House battlefield includes Texas’s 34th District, a toss-up between Rep. Vicente Gonzalez and Republican Eric Flores. Nebraska’s 2nd District, the Omaha-based “Blue Dot,” is leaning Democratic. Pennsylvania has several competitive seats, and in Ohio, Rep. Max Miller faces a tough race after abuse allegations by his ex-wife, which he denies. Governors’ races in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, and Kansas will also shape state policy on taxes, schools, and parental rights.

This election matters to intercessors because the people elected will decide the laws and judges that shape life, marriage, religious liberty, and the protection of children for years. Whichever party controls the Senate will confirm judges and influence spending and immigration policy. Proverbs 21:1 says the king’s heart is in the Lord’s hand, and He directs it as He pleases. We can bring these races to God with confidence and urgency. Jeremiah 29:7 tells God’s people to seek the peace of the city where they live and pray for it, and 1 Timothy 2:1-2 calls us to pray for everyone in authority so we may live peaceful and godly lives. That is a clear assignment for this season.

Let’s pray for wisdom and integrity for every candidate in these races, that those who will lead would honor the Lord and protect the vulnerable. Let’s pray for families struggling with rising costs, that the Lord would meet their needs and give them hope. Let’s pray for fair, honest elections in Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Alaska, Texas, North Carolina, Kansas, and across the country, and for voters to seek truth and discernment before they cast their ballots. Let’s pray for peace and unity in our nation, whatever the outcome in November.

How are you praying about this issue? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments below.

(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: f11photo via Canva).