Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump and his party. The outcome reflected voter dissatisfaction with high fuel prices, rising living costs and the war against Iran, which began in February, according to the election analysis provided.
In the Senate, Democrats gained the four Republican-held seats they needed for a majority. Victories included James Talarico in Texas, Adam Hamilton in Kansas and Sherrod Brown in Ohio. The results meant that controversies affecting Democratic candidates in Alaska and Michigan did not prevent the party from taking control. The Senate majority will give Democrats a say in confirming nominees to federal courts, including the Supreme Court.
Democrats also took back the House of Representatives, where Republicans had held a narrow 218-to-435 majority. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to become speaker, which would make him the first Black person to hold the role. The House can control federal spending, launch investigations and summon government officials. Democratic candidates had pledged to investigate allegations of corruption, self-enrichment and mismanagement in the Trump administration. The chamber also has a role in starting potential impeachment proceedings.
The results were closely tied to Trump’s unpopularity and his influence over Republican candidate selection. In Texas, Ken Paxton ran instead of incumbent Senator John Cornyn, while the Republican nominee in South Carolina, Darline Graham, was chosen after Trump intervened. Democrats won both contests. In North Carolina, incumbent Republican Thom Tillis did not seek re-election, and Roy Cooper won the seat for The Democrats.
Elon Musk’s spending also failed to deliver the results he sought. The world’s richest man spent nearly half a billion dollars supporting Republican candidates in the weeks before the election, but Republicans suffered heavy losses. The article also notes that Musk’s earlier effort to reduce US bureaucracy through the Department of Government Efficiency had failed.
The results have intensified speculation about the 2028 presidential race. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff held his seat in Georgia, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro won re-election comfortably, strengthening their potential prospects. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s plans could be influenced by the Michigan result, while Vice President J. D. Vance is viewed as a likely Republican contender. Amy Acton, a Democrat who was personally targeted in a controversial Republican campaign advertisement in Ohio, was elected the state’s next governor.
Sources: Süddeutsche Zeitung.