Democrats have regained control of the US Senate after victories in states including South Carolina, Texas and Iowa, the first time a Democrat has won a Senate race in some of those states in decades. The result, reported by the Associated Press, will give Democrats the ability to hold up President Donald Trump's legislative agenda and appointments, including to the Supreme Court.
Democrats have regained control of the US Senate, routing Republicans in states that have not sent a Democrat to the Senate in years, if not decades. Victories in South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Iowa and Kansas flipped the chamber, according to the Associated Press. Together with their likely triumph in the House of Representatives, Democrats are expected to have full control of Congress beginning next year for the first time since 2022.
"Wow! Wow! Now, against all odds, we Democrats have won the Senate," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "We have five words for the American people: relief is on the way."
With the Senate majority, Democrats will be able to block Trump's legislative agenda and any appointments to his cabinet or the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority.
Democrats lost control of the Senate two years ago when voters returned Trump to the White House and gave his allies a 53-seat majority. But circumstances shifted as Trump's second term got underway. His approval ratings slumped over time, particularly on his handling of the economy and immigration, and his decision to attack Iran and send federal agents to conduct immigration raids that resulted in the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis further alienated voters. Rising gas prices due to the Middle East conflict also fuelled Democratic confidence.
Trump's interference in Republican primaries also appeared to backfire. In North Carolina, his condemnation of Senator Thom Tillis led to Tillis's retirement, and Democratic former governor Roy Cooper easily won the seat. In Texas, Trump endorsed scandal-plagued Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime Senator John Cornyn, causing Cornyn to lose his primary. Democratic state representative James Talarico won that seat by a double-digit margin, according to the AP. In South Carolina, after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump backed Graham's sister Darline Graham, who had never won elected office; she lost to Democrat Annie Andrews by about four percentage points.
Vote counting continues in Minnesota and Michigan, where Democrats hope to hold seats vacated by retiring Democrats, and in Maine, where they are trying to oust Republican Senator Susan Collins. The outcome in Alaska, where Democrats hope to beat two-term Republican Dan Sullivan, may take days to determine.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Democrats will have power to block Trump's agenda and appointments, giving them significant leverage over the remainder of his presidency.
- The outcome signals a rejection of Trump's policies and a shift in voter sentiment that could affect the 2028 election.
- Control of the Senate allows Democrats to influence judicial nominations, including potential Supreme Court vacancies.
Background
The 2024 election gave Republicans a 53-seat Senate majority and Trump's return to the White House. Democrats initially faced a challenging map, but Trump's declining approval ratings and controversial policies created openings. Key races were targeted in states like North Carolina, Texas, and South Carolina, where Democratic candidates prevailed.
What to Watch
- Final results in Minnesota, Michigan, Maine and Alaska, which will determine the size of the Democratic majority.
- Trump's response and potential attempts to work with or circumvent the new Congress.
- The first test of Democratic power: confirmation of a Supreme Court nomination or key cabinet position.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedDemocrats won control of the Senate, giving them leverage over Trump's agenda.World news | The Guardian: “Democrats have regained control of the US Senate, routing Republicans nationwide with historic victories that will give them powerful new leverage over Donald Trump for the remainder of his presidency.”
- SupportedDemocratic candidates won Senate races in South Carolina, Texas and Iowa.World news | The Guardian: “The party regained control of the Senate after their candidates won in a host of states where they hadn’t had success in years, if not decades, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Iowa and Kansas, according to the Associated Press.”
- SupportedDemocrats are expected to have full control of Congress beginning next year.World news | The Guardian: “Together with their likely triumph in the House of Representatives, Democrats are expected to have full control of Congress beginning next year, for the first time since 2022.”
- SupportedIn some of the states Democrats won, it was the party's first Senate-race victory in decades.World news | The Guardian: “Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, and Texas since 1988. In South Carolina, it’s been 38 years since a Democrat won a Senate race”
- SupportedChuck Schumer said, “Wow! Wow! Now, against all odds, we Democrats have won the Senate,” and, “We have five words for the American people: relief is on the way.”World news | The Guardian: ““Wow! Wow! Now, against all odds, we Democrats have won the Senate,” the minority leader Chuck Schumer said in Washington DC. “We have five words for the American people: relief is on the way.””
- Partly supportedWith the Senate majority, Democrats will be able to block Trump's legislative agenda and appointments.World news | The Guardian: “With control of the Senate, Democrats will soon have the ability to hold up not just Trump’s legislative agenda, but also any appointments he makes to his cabinet or the federal judiciary”
- SupportedConservatives hold a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court.World news | The Guardian: “including the supreme court, where conservatives have a 6-3 majority.”
- SupportedDemocrats lost Senate control two years ago when voters returned Trump to the White House and gave his allies a 53-seat majority.World news | The Guardian: “Democrats lost control of the Senate two years ago, when voters sent Trump back to the White House and gave his allies a 53-seat majority.”
- SupportedTrump's decision to attack Iran and send federal agents on immigration raids was followed by the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis.World news | The Guardian: “His decision to attack Iran and send federal agents to conduct highly public immigration raids, which resulted in the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis, further alienated voters.”
- SupportedThe Iran attack and immigration raids further alienated voters.World news | The Guardian: “His decision to attack Iran and send federal agents to conduct highly public immigration raids, which resulted in the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis, further alienated voters.”
- SupportedRising gas prices due to the Middle East conflict fuelled Democratic confidence.World news | The Guardian: “As gas prices rose due to the conflict in the Middle East, Democrats became confident about winning Senate elections in Texas, Kansas and Iowa.”
- SupportedJames Talarico won the Texas Senate seat by a double-digit margin, according to the AP.World news | The Guardian: “Democratic state representative James Talarico won that seat by a double-digit margin, according to the AP.”