In a historic political shift, Democrats have secured control of both chambers of the United States Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, according to projections from the Associated Press on November 4, 2026.
The party has won 53 seats in the Senate, surpassing the 51 needed for a majority, and 220 seats in the House of Representatives, exceeding the 218 threshold required to take control. This marks the end of Republican control of the House since 2023 and sets up Representative Hakeem Jeffries to become the first Black Speaker of the House.
The elections saw stunning upsets across the country. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers to become the nation's first Muslim U.S. Senator. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, while Democrats also swept statewide races including Gina Hinojosa's victory over Governor Greg Abbott. The party also achieved its first Senate win in Kansas since the Great Depression.
Other major flips included Annie Andrews defeating incumbent Republican Darline Graham in South Carolina, and Troy Jackson unseating five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Democrats also flipped three House seats in Iowa and five in North Carolina.
The results are widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term, with all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats contested. President Trump responded on social media, stating that Republicans would have won had he been on the ballot, though he indicated he would accept the results.
You must be logged in to post a comment.