Losing their religion: only 15 per cent of Americans attend a mainstream Protestant church

The November midterms are shaping up to be the most contested in history. Never before have the two parties nominated so many candidates. Out of the 435 seats, the Republicans are running in 430 and the Democrats are contesting 410. And because of deaths in office, not since 1962 have so many senate seats (37) been up for election in a midterm year. There remain a small handful of seats too safe for the opposition party to bother fielding a candidate, but the record number reflects the intensity of the battle for Congress. The Republicans need to win 39 seats in the house to take control, and ten in the senate to overcome the casting vote of the vice-president if the senate splits 50-50.

With unemployment nudging 10 per cent and the recovery fading, the Democrats