US voters prepare for 'mid-terms'

Voters in the United States will, this week, head to the polls for what are termed the country's "mid-term" elections.

That is, halfway through a president's four year term, all of the two year terms for the House of Representatives and a third of the six year Senate terms go up again for election.

This time, the question is if the opposition Republicans, who already control the House, can gain the few extra seats needed to put them in control of the Senate, too.

At the University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre, Dr Brendon O'Connor tells Ron Sutton that nightmare scenario for President Barack Obama is, indeed, likely.

(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full interview)