By Salma El-Sakka
Democrats seized control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, delivering a sweeping rebuke to President Donald Trump's second term. Results from across the country came in faster and at a larger scale than forecasters expected, giving Democrats at least 53 seats in the 100-member Senate and a double-digit majority in the House.
Historic Senate flips across the map
Democrats flipped Senate seats in Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Maine, and South Carolina. In Texas, state representative James Talarico defeated Republican incumbent Ken Paxton. South Carolina elected Annie Andrews, the first Democrat to win a Senate seat there since 1998. Minnesota chose Peggy Flanagan, the first Native American U.S. senator, while Kansas elected Adam Hamilton, the state's first Democratic senator in nearly a century. In Maine, longtime Republican Susan Collins lost to Democrat Troy Jackson.
House majority and first Black speaker
The House is poised to install Hakeem Jeffries as its first Black speaker. Jeffries declared, "Today begins the great American comeback. The American people have spoken all across the land." Democrats also made gains in Georgia, where Senator Jon Ossoff fended off a Trump-backed challenger, and in Ohio, where Sherrod Brown returned to the Senate after losing in 2024.
Trump reacts as GOP faces post-Trump questions
Trump blamed the losses on his absence from the ballot, claiming he would have won "IN A LANDSLIDE" had he been a candidate. He later posted an image wearing a hat reading "VETO." Analysts said the results signal a fundamental test of Trump's political strength, with one observer noting, "These results take the lustre off of his presidency. It's a terrible night for him and the Republicans."
Legislative power shifts to Democrats
With Senate control, Democrats can now block Trump's nominees for cabinet posts, ambassadorships, and judicial appointments, including potential Supreme Court vacancies. House control allows them to stall the Republican legislative agenda, launch investigations into the administration, and pursue impeachment of federal officials. Jeffries vowed to "hold the crooks accountable."
Alaska race remains undecided
Attention turns to Alaska, where both Senate seats are currently held by Republicans. Democrat Mary Peltola is challenging, though she faces allegations of staff mistreatment and ballot irregularities. Alaska accepts ballots up to 15 days after Election Day, meaning final results may be delayed.
