In the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic Party won control of both houses of Congress and scored a landslide victory nationally, defeating the Republican Party and dealing a major blow to the Trump administration. It also reflected widespread voter dissatisfaction with his leadership.

According to media forecasts and election results, Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate and made significant gains in traditional Republican strongholds such as South Carolina, Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Ohio. The results mark a major shift in the political landscape, with voters expressing frustration over the rising cost of living, rising fuel prices, Trump’s tariffs and the US war with Iran that began in February.

A Democratic victory would give the opposition more power to challenge Trump’s legislative agenda, scrutinize his administration and exercise congressional oversight in the final two years of his presidency. Democrats are up for six Senate seats

Democrats flipped six Republican-held Senate seats to secure a majority in the upper chamber, though several close races remain closely watched.

One of the biggest surprises was in South Carolina, where Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darlene Graham, becoming the first Democrat since 1998 to win a Senate seat in the traditionally conservative state. Graham was appointed to the seat following the July death of Graham’s brother, longtime Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Trump endorsed her campaign for a full six-year term. Andrews’ victory is especially significant because Trump carried South Carolina by nearly 18 points in the 2024 presidential election.

In Kansas, Democratic megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton won a Senate seat, becoming the first Democrat to do so in the state since the Great Depression nearly a century ago. Democrat Sherrod Brown also defeated Republican John Husted in Ohio, reclaiming the Senate seat previously held by Vice President J.D. Vance. Brown is a former senator and was predicted as the winner by CNN and NBC News. In Texas, Democratic State Representative James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton despite a significant amount of outside money being pumped into his campaign. In 2024, Texas supports Trump by double digits. Democrats also won in North Carolina and Iowa. Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper defeated his Republican challenger, while Iowa Rep. Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson.

Turek’s victory came amid voter dissatisfaction over Trump’s tariffs, which have particularly affected farmers in the agricultural state.

Democrats Hold Key Senate Seats

Democrats also retained crucial Senate seats in Georgia and New Hampshire. In Georgia, incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won re-election, while Chris Pappas prevailed in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay person elected to the US Senate.

Ossoff framed the Democratic victory as a rejection of Trump’s leadership, telling supporters that Americans condemned what he said were the president’s corruption and incompetence. Democrats enter the election needing four net gains in the Senate to take control of the House. Republicans previously held a 53-47 majority. Six Republican seats picked up by Democrats gave the party control of the Senate, according to results reported by Reuters.

The Democratic wave extends to the House of Representatives

Democrats also took control of the House of Representatives, with television networks predicting a Democratic majority after the party made significant gains in competitive districts. The party picked up at least eight Republican seats in states including Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina, while making gains in traditionally Republican districts.

In Indiana, Democrat J.D. Ford, Republican Rep. Victoria Sparta, a closely watched district that Trump won by 17 points in 2024. The victory was seen as an early sign of a broader democratic wave sweeping through Republican strongholds.

Democrats also retained three Florida House districts that Republicans redistricted earlier this year. Trump won all three districts by at least 9 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

The results show that Republican efforts to strengthen their position through redistricting have not yielded the desired results. Democrats achieve historic victory for governor

Democratic gains extended beyond Congress, where the party also made significant gains in gubernatorial elections.

In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican billionaire health executive Rick Jackson to become the first black woman elected governor in US history. The victory also ended 24 years of Republican control of the state’s governor. Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp is ineligible for re-election due to term limits. Democrats also won governorships in traditionally Republican Iowa and Ohio.

In Texas, three-term Republican governor Greg Abbott lost to Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa, marking another major setback for the Republican Party. Meanwhile, Republican Byron Donald won Florida’s gubernatorial election, becoming the state’s first black governor.

Even in traditional seats, Republicans face setbacks

The Democratic Party’s surge was also evident in Florida, where Republican Sen. Ashley Moody defeated Democratic challenger Angie Nixon, but by about three percentage points. Trump carried Florida by 13 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

Democrats also swept three Florida House districts that had been targeted by Republicans, underscoring the party’s improvement in areas that previously favored Trump.

The results suggested that Republican support had weakened even in states traditionally considered strongholds for the party.

Rising Living Costs and Iran War Weigh on Republicans

The midterm elections were widely viewed as a referendum on Trump’s second presidential term, with economic concerns and foreign policy playing a major role in shaping voter sentiment. Rising gas prices, inflation, affordability concerns and Trump’s tariffs have been major issues during the campaign.

His decision to take military action against Iran in February also sent energy prices soaring, adding to pressure on American households. About half of voters said they saw the election as an opportunity to reprimand Trump, according to polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media organizations, including major television networks and the Associated Press.

Three-quarters of voters described themselves as angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country, while 70 percent said they wanted Congress to introduce stronger checks on the president. Polls also show that affordability is one of voters’ biggest concerns, with many expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the economy.

Trump reacts to the defeat of the Republicans

Trump aggressively campaigned for Republican candidates in the final weeks before the election, holding more than two dozen rallies and repeatedly urging supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot himself. As a Democratic victory became increasingly clear, Trump responded on social media by saying that if he were on the ballot, Republicans would win in a landslide.

He also defended his administration’s record, highlighting its tariffs, immigration crackdown and military campaign against Iran.

Earlier, he had indicated that he might veto legislation passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress, although he also acknowledged the possibility of negotiating agreements with Democrats.

A White House official described the administration’s mood as defiant, saying Trump would continue opposing what the official called the radical left regardless of the election outcome. Democratic control can lead to investigation

The Democratic takeover of both houses of Congress is expected to significantly change the political dynamics in Washington.

Control of the House would allow Democrats to chair congressional committees, scrutinize the administration and challenge Trump’s legislative priorities. Potential areas of investigation include the war on Iran, mass deportations and corruption allegations.

Control of the Senate would also give Democrats more influence over judicial nominations and top government appointments. Changes in congressional leadership could make it more difficult for Trump to advance his legislative agenda in the remaining two years of his term.

Election monitoring is a concern

The elections have also drawn attention to concerns about possible challenges in the voting process. The US Department of Justice deployed 1,000 election monitors and observers to all 50 states, describing the operation as the largest election day surveillance effort in American history.

Democrats and rights observers criticized the deployment, warning it could intimidate voters.

A Reuters analysis found that voters in approximately two-thirds of the jurisdictions included in the Justice Department’s monitoring plan had supported Democratic candidate Kamala Harris over Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

However, election officials in several states reported no problems with the monitoring process.

New Mexico’s Secretary of State’s office said it had received reports of federal monitors asking unusual questions in one county. The Justice Department subsequently assured officials that the reported conduct would be addressed. The results signal a major shift in US politics, with Democrats gaining control of both houses of Congress and making significant gains in states that had strongly supported Trump in previous presidential elections.