WASHINGTON — Americans voted Tuesday in midterm elections to decide whether President Donald Trump's Republicans retain control of Congress or spend the final two years of his term confronting Democratic majorities. High living costs, the war with Iran and Trump's poor approval ratings have helped Democrats expand the electoral map, with unusually tight contests even in Republican strongholds. But polling errors, redrawn districts and record campaign spending make the outcome uncertain. The arithmetic Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take the upper chamber of Congress, as a 50-50 tie would leave Republicans in charge through Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested. It is currently made up of 218 Republicans and one Republican-aligned independent, 214 Democrats, and two vacancies. Democrats need at least 218 seats in the lower chamber to clinch a majority in the new session. Senate: eight battlegrounds North Carolina: The state's Democratic ex-governor Roy Cooper faces Republ