Democrats Secure Control of Both Chambers in 2026 Midterms

Democrats took control of the U.S. House and Senate in the November 2026 midterm elections, ending unified Republican control of Washington for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

By November 4, Associated Press calls and network projections showed Democrats holding at least 231 House seats and a 54-44 edge in the Senate, with some races still uncalled. The House majority required 218 seats. Democrats flipped at least 18 to 25 House seats. In the Senate, they gained seven seats that Republicans had held, including in Texas, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, South Carolina, North Carolina and Maine.

James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas. That marked the first Democratic statewide win in Texas since 1994 and the first Democratic Senate seat there since 1988. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Roger Marshall. Kansas had not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. Josh Turek beat Ashley Hinson in Iowa. Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham in South Carolina. Sherrod Brown took the Ohio seat. Roy Cooper won the open North Carolina seat. In Maine, Troy Jackson defeated Susan Collins.

Democrats held their own seats in Georgia, where Jon Ossoff won reelection, and in New Hampshire, where Chris Pappas won the open seat. No Republican flipped a Democratic-held Senate seat. In the House, Democrats picked up seats in districts Trump carried in 2024, including a Lexington-area district in Kentucky that Trump won with 57 percent of the vote.

The results reflected voter concerns over prices, the ongoing war with Iran, and government conduct. Exit polling and post-election analysis pointed to cost-of-living pressures as a central driver. Republicans entered the cycle defending narrow majorities in both chambers. They lost ground in states that had supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

With control of both chambers, Democrats will set the legislative agenda, chair committees, and hold oversight power over the executive branch. They can block Republican bills and launch investigations. Trump will need Democratic votes for most legislation. A two-thirds majority in both chambers would be required to override a veto on any measure that reaches his desk.

The Senate majority also shapes the confirmation process for judges and executive officials. Democrats can slow or reject nominees. The House majority gives Democrats control of the appropriations process and the ability to attach conditions to spending bills.

Some races remained outstanding as of November 6. In Alaska and Mississippi, Senate contests were still counting ballots. House results continued to update as remaining votes were tallied. The final margins will determine the size of the Democratic majorities, but the shift in control is already set.

The outcome ends a period of unified Republican government that began after the 2024 elections. It returns divided government for the remainder of Trump's term. Previous midterms have often produced large shifts against the president's party. The 2026 results fit that pattern, with Democrats gaining seats in both chambers while Republicans failed to flip any Democratic-held seats at the federal level.

Committee chairs will change in January when the new Congress is seated. Democrats are expected to prioritize investigations into administration actions and to press for legislation on prices and other domestic issues. The precise agenda will depend on the final seat counts and internal party negotiations.

The elections also produced Democratic gains in governorships and state legislative chambers. Those results will shape redistricting and state policy in the years ahead. The federal outcome, however, centers on the immediate change in control of the House and Senate.