By Fatma Younis
Democrats swept key US midterm races on November 4, 2026, flipping long-held Republican seats and securing a majority in both chambers of Congress as voters rebuked President Donald Trump's policies.
Blue wave delivers historic gains
Democrats flipped seven Senate seats, more than two dozen House seats, and expanded the number of Democratic governors. The Associated Press declared a Democratic Senate majority before midnight, followed by House control within two hours. States that backed Trump in 2024 abandoned his allies, with even comfortably red districts like Florida seeing close races. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won despite an Islamophobic campaign.
Republicans suffer historic losses
For the first time in 94 years, a Democrat won a Senate seat in Kansas, with Adam Hamilton defeating Roger Marshall. Republicans lost a South Carolina Senate seat for the first time in nearly 30 years as Dr. Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham and a Trump ally. In Texas, progressive newcomer James Talarico defeated conservative Attorney General Ken Paxton, ending a 38-year Republican streak. Iowa and North Carolina also elected Democratic senators for the first time since 2008.
Trump distances himself from results
After major losses, Trump claimed he "wasn't on the Ballot" and would have won "IN A LANDSLIDE" if he had been, reversing his earlier urging for voters to act as though he were on the ballot. He told the New York Times he was "absolutely willing" to accept the midterm results, despite his history of false election fraud claims.
Democrats outperform pre-election polls
Pre-election polls showed Democrats leading in competitive races but underestimated the scale of victories. In Kansas, polls gave Hamilton a small lead over Marshall, but Washington Post pollsters warned Democratic voters were more likely to respond, potentially skewing predictions.
Trump-endorsed candidates fall short
Candidates handpicked by Trump lost key races. Paxton lost in Texas despite Trump's primary support. Darline Graham fell to Andrews in South Carolina despite heavy Trump campaigning. In North Carolina, Trump's choice Michael Whatley failed to defeat Democrat Roy Cooper.
