Democrats Win the House and Senate in a Midterm Rout of Trump’s Republicans

Democrats have won control of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, one of the most lopsided midterm results in modern American history and a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump two years into his second term. By Friday evening, Democrats held 54 Senate seats to the Republicans’ 44, with two races in Alaska and Mississippi still uncalled, according to Yahoo News and Reuters tallies.

In the House, Democrats had won 253 seats to the Republicans’ 162 as of 4:45pm Eastern Time on Friday, well past the 218 needed for a majority, with about 20 races still to be called. Yahoo News reported that the party is on track for its largest House majority since 2008. The new Congress takes office in January, giving Democrats the power to block legislation, launch investigations and shape spending for the rest of Trump’s presidency.

How Big Was the Democratic Victory?

The scale surprised even many Democrats. The BBC reported that the party picked up Senate seats in Republican strongholds including Texas, Ohio and Kansas, a state that last elected a Democrat to the Senate almost 100 years ago. In Texas, James Talarico won a Senate seat, and Democrat Gina Hinojosa was elected governor, NPR and NBC News reported. Before polling day we listed the key Senate and House races to watch; most of the closest contests broke towards the Democrats.

The election also produced several firsts. Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia became the first Black woman elected governor in US history, Amy Acton became the first woman elected governor of Ohio, and Republican Byron Donalds became Florida’s first Black governor-elect. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan will be the first Muslim member of the US Senate, according to Yahoo News.

• Senate: Democrats 54, Republicans 44, two seats undecided (51 needed for control)
• House: Democrats 253, Republicans 162, about 20 seats uncalled (218 needed)
• Senate seats flipped by Democrats: seven, including Texas, Ohio and Kansas
• Still counting: Alaska and Mississippi Senate races; Colorado’s 4th District

Which Races Are Still Undecided?

Two Senate seats remained too close to call on Friday. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,493 votes, and his lead had grown as late ballots were counted. In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Senator Dan Sullivan by just 637 votes out of more than 200,000 cast. Officials there expect further batches of mail ballots on Monday and Tuesday, and Reuters reported that Peltola’s campaign has sued the state for records on rejected absentee ballots.

In the House, Republican Lauren Boebert trailed Democrat Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, by more than 3,000 votes in Colorado’s 4th District with about 4% of the vote left to count. Colorado counties have until 13 November to finish counting.

Why Did Republicans Lose So Heavily?

Reuters and AP reported that voters were angry about high prices, the US war with Iran and concerns over government corruption. The cost of living dominated the campaign: consumer prices rose 3.7% in the year to September, and many households are facing double-digit rises in health insurance premiums as the Affordable Care Act marketplace reopened this week, NPR reported.

Republicans have offered different explanations. Vice President JD Vance blamed the war directly. “The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone,” he wrote on X. “The reason we lost is the war.” Trump acknowledged the conflict had contributed to the losses but defended it. “If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again,” he said. “You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

Who Is Stephen Miller, Trump’s New Chief of Staff?

On Friday, Trump announced that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff in the first major shake-up since the election. Wiles, the first woman to hold the post and Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, will move to the “Trump Political Operation”, Trump said on Truth Social.

Miller, who began working for Trump as a speechwriter in the 2016 campaign, has been seen as one of the most influential figures behind the administration’s agenda, especially its immigration crackdown. He said he was “honored beyond words” by the appointment. Wiles wrote that serving in the White House had been “the honor of a lifetime”.

What Will Democrats Do With Their Majorities?

Democrats have promised to use their new power to rein in the administration. Trump has said he is willing to work with them but would not hesitate to use his veto. Representative Robert Garcia of California, expected to chair the House Oversight Committee from January, said Democrats plan to investigate the Trump family’s business dealings, including cryptocurrency ventures and Pentagon contracts. His video message ended with the words “Lawyer up.”

Markets reacted sharply. Stocks rallied on Wednesday on relief at a clear result, then tumbled on Thursday as investors weighed the risk of tougher rules for AI data centres, which many winning candidates had promised to curb.

Voters also decided ballot measures across the country. Four states, Washington, Nebraska, Arizona and Colorado, approved limits on transgender athletes in school and college sports, while Missouri voters rejected a combined measure on gender-affirming care and abortion rights, according to Yahoo News.

Featured image: The western front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, by Noclip / Wikimedia Commons, public domain. File photo.

Sources

• Yahoo News — Midterms 2026 results and latest updates: Stephen Miller named White House chief of staff (6 November 2026).
• Reuters — Democrats flex congressional majorities as Trump accepts electoral losses (4 November 2026).
• AP News — Democrats win the US House and Senate as voters deliver a strong rebuke to Trump and Republicans (4 November 2026).
• BBC News — US midterm elections results 2026 (2026).
• NPR — The News Roundup for November 6, 2026 (6 November 2026).