Democrats made major gains in the 2026 midterm elections, taking control of the Senate and moving closer to a majority in the House of Representatives. The results represent a sharp setback for President Donald Trump’s party, two years after his return to the White House.
Republicans entered the election with 53 Senate seats. After 35 seats were contested, they lost their majority, which requires 51 seats. Democratic wins included Roy Cooper in North Carolina and James Talarico in Texas, where a Democrat had not won a Senate seat since 1992. Adam Hamilton also won in Kansas, where Democrats had not elected a senator since 1932. Georgia’s Jon Ossoff secured re-election.
The Democratic gains extended beyond the Senate. Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race, while Republicans retained Senate and gubernatorial seats in Florida. The House results were still developing, but Republicans were at risk of losing their majority.
Voter concerns over the cost of living, the unpopular war in Iran and allegations of corruption were among the issues Democrats highlighted during the campaign. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said his party would hold politicians accountable, and is expected to become the first Black speaker of the House if Democrats take control.
Trump initially said Republicans would have won if his name had been on the ballot and later said he would accept the election results. He also warned he would veto everything if Republicans lost, before telling Fox News that Democrats had fought well and that the Iran war was partly responsible for his party’s defeat. A Democratic majority in both chambers would significantly shift the balance of power in Washington for the remaining two years of his term.
Sources: Le Monde International.