Democrats Secure Control of Both Chambers in 2026 US Midterms

Democrats took control of the United States Senate and House of Representatives on November 3, 2026, after midterm elections that drew high turnout and produced gains deep into Republican territory.

Projections from the Associated Press, NBC News, and Decision Desk HQ showed Democrats holding at least 54 Senate seats, a net gain of seven. They flipped seats in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. In the House, Democrats reached 228 seats with many races still outstanding, well above the 218 needed for a majority.

James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas to become the first Democrat elected statewide in that state since 1994. Gina Hinojosa beat three-term incumbent Greg Abbott for governor. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews unseated the Republican candidate for the seat previously held by Lindsey Graham's sister. Adam Hamilton won in Kansas, ending a 94-year drought for Democrats in that state's Senate race.

Exit polls conducted for major networks and the AP found that half of voters viewed the election as a chance to rebuke the president. Three-quarters expressed anger or dissatisfaction with the direction of the country. Cost of living and the ongoing conflict involving Iran ranked among the top concerns.

President Trump posted on Truth Social after the results became clear: "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" Earlier on election day he had told Fox News that Democrats used aid to Israel as a talking point against Republicans.

The outcome ends the Republican trifecta that began after the 2024 election. Democrats will hold the majority in both chambers when the new Congress convenes in January 2027. Hakeem Jeffries is positioned to become the first Black Speaker of the House.

Several historic firsts occurred. Byron Donalds became Florida's first Black governor. Deb Haaland won the governorship in New Mexico as the first Native American woman to hold that office in any state. Abdul El-Sayed won the Senate race in Michigan, becoming the first Muslim US senator.

Markets reacted quickly. Dow futures rose as much as 700 to 800 points in overnight trading after the results, according to CNBC reports. Analysts linked the move to expectations of greater checks on executive power and potential shifts in trade and energy policy.

The scale of the losses surprised some Republican strategists. The party entered the night with a 53-47 Senate majority and a narrow House edge. Fourteen Republican House members lost re-election bids while no Democratic incumbents were defeated, according to Ballotpedia tallies as of early Wednesday.

Voters in multiple states also decided ballot measures on abortion, congressional maps, and sports participation rules. In Missouri, voters rejected an abortion ban and new congressional maps. In Florida, an amendment to reduce property taxes passed.

The results leave the administration facing a divided government for the final two years of Trump's term. Legislative priorities on spending, energy, and foreign assistance will now require Democratic votes or face vetoes that can be overridden only with supermajorities neither party holds.

Detailed county-level data continues to arrive, but the early picture shows Democratic strength in both suburban and some rural districts that supported Trump by large margins in 2024. The final Senate margin could still shift by one or two seats as remaining ballots are counted in Alaska and a handful of other states.