The Democratic Party has won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, flipping multiple Republican-held seats across the country. Several Democrats have portrayed the outcome as a defeat for President Donald Trump. The party has won 53 Senate seats and leads in three others, and crossed the 218-seat threshold in the House, according to the Associated Press.
The wins include seats that have not gone Democratic in decades. In Texas, James Talarico trounced Republican Ken Paxton, endorsed by Trump, and was leading by more than 11 percentage points with most votes counted; he is the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in 32 years. Adam Hamilton beat Roger Marshall in Kansas, where Democrats last won a Senate seat in 1932. Josh Turek won in Iowa, a state Trump carried by 14 percentage points in 2014. Annie Andrews flipped Lindsey Graham's former South Carolina seat, winning by at least 4 percentage points. Roy Cooper delivered a thumping win in North Carolina, beating Republican Mike Whatley by almost 20 percentage points. Troy Jackson flipped a previously Republican seat in Maine, and Sherrod Brown won in Ohio. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed was leading and had claimed victory against Republican Mike Rogers.
Trump has conceded that his opponents bettered his party's campaign. With several races still too close to call, final results may take days.
In New York City, progressive candidates endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won decisive victories for Congress. Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez secured seats in the 10th, 13th and 7th districts, respectively, all considered shoo-ins after the June primaries. Valdez, who defeated Republican Melvin Rivera, said of Trump's pledge to cease annual military aid to Israel by year's end: "I don't know that we can trust this president to make moral and consistent decisions about our military budget, so we'll have to see." Incumbent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez handily won re-election in the 14th district. New York Assembly member Micah Lasher also won his first House term, and incumbent Grace Meng defeated Republican Joseph Chou. Meng told Al Jazeera the Democratic sweep is "a mandate for us, not just a promotion," and said a goal for the new Congress would be to push back on Trump because "he has not treated Congress like a third and independent branch of government."
New York Democrats are pushing for Hakeem Jeffries, currently House minority leader, to be selected as speaker. If chosen, he would be the first Black speaker in the chamber's history. "We are going to course-correct, and my good friend Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is set to wield the speaker's gavel," New York State Attorney General Letitia James said after her re-election.
In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul secured another term, defeating Republican Bruce Blakeman. Hochul and Adrienne Adams became the first all-woman ticket to win election as governor and lieutenant governor in New York history. In her victory speech, Hochul took aim at Trump: "Just a few weeks ago, Donald Trump came to New York and told voters to pretend he was on the ballot. Well, Mr President, you got your wish."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Democrats now control both chambers of Congress for the first time since 2010, giving them the power to block Trump's nominations, launch investigations, and subpoena witnesses.
- The party has pledged to end the war on Iran, bring down the cost of living, and hold the Trump administration accountable, but faces a likely presidential veto on legislation.
- Progressive gains in New York City signal a shift in Democratic leadership, with a new generation of left-leaning candidates heading to Washington.
Background
The midterm elections were widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily for Republican candidates. Voters consistently ranked economic issues and the cost of living as top concerns. Democrats had not controlled both chambers of Congress since Barack Obama's second term. The new Congress will be sworn in on January 3, 2027.
Key Perspectives
Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: Told The Hill that the party must be "thoughtful and strategic about where investigative work goes and not allow that to distract us from solving fairly immediate cost problems that American families feel."
Trita Parsi, Quincy Institute of Responsible Statecraft: Warned that Trump could escalate the war on Iran before Democrats take power, and that if Democrats do not attempt to rein him in, "it will no longer be just Trump's war. They will also co-own it."
Alex Jacquez, Groundwork Collaborative: Said that with control of Senate committees, Democrats could investigate companies over grocery prices, rents and rising electricity bills, adding "there's a lot of precedent for getting some real material outcomes just through having the gavels and being able to subpoena CEOs."
Dean Baker, Center for Economic and Policy Research: Argued that one of the biggest things Democrats could do to relieve cost-of-living concerns is push for an end to the war on Iran, which could bring down petrol prices.
Laura Blessing, Georgetown University: Expects a Democrat-led Congress to actively wield its constitutional power to investigate, calling it "where you're going to see the most action from Dems, by a mile."
What to Watch
- Whether Trump escalates the war on Iran before Democrats take control of the Senate on January 3, 2027.
- Whether Hakeem Jeffries is selected as House speaker, which would make him the first Black speaker in history.
- How Democrats balance investigations of Trump with legislative priorities on the cost of living and healthcare subsidies.
- Whether any Republican senators join Democrats to override potential Trump vetoes on key legislation.
- The outcome of still-uncalled Senate races, which will determine the final margin of the Democratic majority.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedDemocrats swept Congress in a midterm upset, flipping both the House and Senate.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Democratic Party has pulled off a stunning upset in the United States midterm elections, flipping multiple bellwether seats to win comfortable control of the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
- SupportedThe incumbent president has neither chamber for the first time since Barack Obama’s second term.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “marking the first instance since Barack Obama’s second term that the incumbent president has neither chamber of Congress with him.”
- SupportedNew York progressive candidates secured House seats.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Progressive candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have won decisive victories in their campaigns to join the United States Congress. On Tuesday, New York City politicians Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez secured their seats”
- SupportedDemocrats won control of both chambers in Tuesday’s midterm elections.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “With the win in the House, announced by AP hours after their win in the Senate was declared, the Democrats now have control of both chambers of Congress.”
- SupportedDemocrats won 53 Senate seats.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The party has won 53 seats, and leads in three others in the 100-seat Senate.”
- SupportedDemocrats lead in three Senate races.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The party has won 53 seats, and leads in three others in the 100-seat Senate.”
- SupportedDemocrats crossed the 218-seat threshold in the House, according to the Associated Press.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Democrats have won the House of Representatives, according to The Associated Press, crossing the 218-seat mark needed for a majority in the 435-member chamber.”
- SupportedClaire Valdez said of Trump’s pledge to end annual military aid to Israel by year’s end: “I don't know that we can trust this president to make moral and consistent decisions about our military budget, so we'll have to see.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““I don’t know that we can trust this president to make moral and consistent decisions about our military budget, so we’ll have to see,” Valdez told Al Jazeera”
- SupportedGrace Meng called the Democratic sweep “a mandate for us, not just a promotion”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Meng told Al Jazeera that the larger Democratic sweep in the midterms is “a mandate for us, not just a promotion”.”
- SupportedGrace Meng said Trump “has not treated Congress like a third and independent branch of government.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““He has not treated Congress like a third and independent branch of government and is just going around doing whatever he wants,” Meng told Al Jazeera.”
- SupportedJames Talarico is the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in 32 years.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “He is the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in 32 years.”
- SupportedIf chosen as speaker, Hakeem Jeffries would be the first Black speaker in the history of the House’s lower chamber.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “If chosen by his colleagues to lead the House of Representatives, he will be the first Black speaker in the history of Congress’s lower chamber.”