WASHINGTON - Latest round of polling suggests that Republicans are likely to win at least the six seats they need to take control of the Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, and might pick up eight or more.
A Republican victory, according to political observers, would be seen as a repudiation of President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, and would give Republicans the power to set the agenda in the Senate, something they haven’t had in eight years.
Currently, Democrats have a working 55-seat majority in a 100-member Senate, including support from two independents. Republicans need to pick up a net six seats to gain control, since Vice President Joe Biden, who presides over the Senate, would break a 50-50 tie in favour of the Democrats.
As of Monday morning, polls predict that Republicans are on the verge of gaining eight seats, and perhaps more.  The most recent HuffPost Pollster forecast gives Republicans a 74 percent chance to take control of the Senate.
The Republican Party will retain control of the 435-member House of Representatives, according to various polls.  Governorships in 36 states and territories are also at stake in Tuesday’s midterm election. The election season, though termed as inconsequential by some political experts, has seen campaigns focusing on domestic issues like job insecurity, healthcare and immigration reforms.  A series of international crises including U.S. involvement in a new Middle Eastern conflict in the form offight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Ukraine standoff, relations with Russia and China, as well as Ebola fears are adding to concerns among Americans, weary of long wars and economic insecurity.
 The Obama White House will continue to steer foreign policy priorities even if the Republicans get control of the Capitol Hill but will need Congressional backing for any new major international initiatives.
 According to the New York Times, citing the latest forecast from The Upshot, the Republicans have about a 70 percent chance of securing a majority in the Senate.
They Republicans appear to be comfortably placed to win four seats held by Democrats in the states of Arkansas, Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia. On the other hand, the Democrats are eyeing to grab three Republican-held seats in Georgia, Kansas and Kentucky. The three races that remains close.
The Times says the other Senate races that likely will determine the balance of power are in purple states currently held by Democrats including Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire and North Carolina.
Still, some Democrats continued to predict publicly that Democrats would hold the Senate. In an interview with CNN, Vice President Joe Biden became the latest to say Democrats would keep their majority. “I don’t agree with the odds makers,” he said. “I predict we’re going to … keep the Senate. I don’t get the feeling that the odds makers are getting.”
The number of Muslims in the United States is placed at roughly six million out of the country’s population of over 300 million.
In a recent survey of Muslim voters, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) found that 69 percent of registered Muslim voters plan to voter in the midterm election and that more than half will support the Democratic Party. Domestic issues like the economy and health care continue to top the Muslim voters’ list of priority concerns in this election.
“Across the nation, American Muslims have emerged as a significant voting bloc able to change the outcome of hard fought and tight races,” said CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw. “It is the Muslim community’s job to vote for the candidates that, regardless of political party, best reflect their views.”