Democrats Secure Control of Congress in 2026 Midterms as Voters Rebuke Trump Over Iran War

Democrats took control of both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections held on November 4, 2026. The results reverse two years of Republican majorities and leave President Donald Trump facing a divided government for the final two years of his term.

Projections from the Associated Press, Decision Desk HQ, and other outlets showed Democrats securing at least 54 Senate seats, including flips in Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen seats, reaching a projected majority of roughly 228 to 250 seats depending on remaining counts. Kansas elected its first Democratic senator in nearly a century. Texas elected James Talarico to the Senate, its first Democrat in that chamber since 1988, and Gina Hinojosa as governor.

Exit polling cited by major networks indicated that roughly three-quarters of voters viewed the Iran war as a major or crucial factor in their decision. Half of voters nationwide said the election offered a chance to rebuke the president. High prices and the war's effect on gasoline costs ranked among the top concerns.

President Trump told Fox News and The Wall Street Journal that the Iran war was "a part of it" and "a piece of it." Speaking to reporters on November 4, he said the assessment that the war drove the losses was "largely true" because it raised gasoline prices in the short term. He added that he would launch the war again if given the chance, stating that Iran cannot be allowed a nuclear weapon. Trump also congratulated Democrats and said he was willing to work with them, while noting he was not on the ballot.

Vice President JD Vance posted a lengthy statement on X the morning after the election. "The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote. He argued that supporters of the war must accept the political cost of losing Senate control for the next six years. Vance listed ending the war, focusing on the cost of living, putting America first, and changing the U.S. relationship with Israel as the steps a pollster told him would bring back 2024 Trump voters who switched to Democrats.

Markets reacted immediately. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 1,000 points overnight. Oil prices fell by more than 7 percent as traders priced in the possibility of a Democratic Congress constraining further military action or supporting negotiations. Semiconductor stocks declined.

Historic firsts accompanied the seat gains. Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state, winning in Georgia. Deb Haaland won the governorship in New Mexico, becoming the first Native American woman to hold that office. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won the open Michigan Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim senator.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the results showed voters had "had enough of the extremism" and wanted a Congress that would "deliver for the American people." Several Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, indicated they would not seek to lead their caucus in the next Congress.

The new Congress takes office in January 2027. Democrats will control the legislative agenda, confirmation processes, and oversight of the executive branch. Trump retains the veto power he has already signaled he intends to use. Negotiations over the Iran war, which began in February 2026, and over spending bills will test whether the two parties can reach agreements on energy prices and military operations.

The scale of the shifts in states that backed Trump by double digits in 2024 shows the war and its economic effects moved voters who had previously supported the Republican ticket. Whether the new majority focuses on ending the conflict or on domestic legislation will shape the remaining period of Trump's presidency.