WASHINGTON: In a major political shift, Democrats have seized control of both chambers of the US Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, according to projections by major US news networks and The Associated Press.
The victories hand the party control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, dealing a major setback to President Donald Trump and threatening to derail his legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency.
After earlier seizing the House of Representatives, Democrats have flipped Senate seats in at least six states, including traditional Republican strongholds Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.
The election result sets up a confrontational final two years of Trump’s time in the White House.
The results mark a dramatic shift in Washington’s balance of power and set the stage for a potentially confrontational final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Republican Strongholds
The Democratic gains extended deep into Republican territory.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race, ending a 38-year absence of Democrats from the state’s Senate delegation, according to Reuters.
Democrats also secured a historic victory in South Carolina, where paediatrician Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham. The party had not won a Senate election in the state this century.
In Ohio, former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown won a comeback bid, while Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated Republican incumbent Roger Marshall in Kansas. Democrat Josh Turek also defeated Republican Ashley Hinson in Iowa, flipping another Republican-held Senate seat.
North Carolina was another key Democratic gain, with former governor Roy Cooper defeating Trump-backed Republican Michael Whatley.
Meanwhile, Democrats retained important Senate seats in Georgia, where Jon Ossoff won re-election, and New Hampshire, where Chris Pappas secured victory.
Trump Rebuffed
The results represent a broad electoral rebuke to Trump’s second-term agenda, with voters expressing frustration over the cost of living, tariffs and the economic consequences of the war with Iran.
Trump had repeatedly urged supporters to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency, even though his name was not on the ballot.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the president’s MAGA movement was “on the run from sea to shining sea”.
Political scientist Todd Belt of George Washington University described the outcome to AFP as “a big wipeout and a strong repudiation of Donald Trump and his policies”, pointing to concerns over the economy, corruption and the Iran war.
Checks on Power
Control of the House would give Democrats the ability to block legislation, scrutinise the administration and launch investigations into its policies, including the war, deportations and allegations of corruption.
A Democratic Senate majority would also allow the party to obstruct Trump’s judicial and senior administration appointments.
Robert Garcia, who is expected to lead the powerful House Oversight Committee, issued a blunt warning to Republicans on social media: “LAWYER UP.”
Trump, however, has indicated that he is prepared to work with the opposition. In an interview with The New York Times, he said he would accept the election results and seek agreements with Democrats.
“I am absolutely willing to accept those results,” he said. “We’ll work with the Democrats, and we’ll, you know, look forward to working with them. We’ll probably work something out.”
His comments came after years of unsubstantiated claims about election fraud and his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
A New Congress
The projected Democratic victories will reshape the political landscape in Washington when the new Congress takes office in January 2027.
Although Democrats will gain control of both chambers, their ability to enact legislation will remain constrained by Trump’s presidential veto power. The president has also signalled that he is prepared to use that power to block measures passed by the opposition.
The outcome therefore points to two years of intensified political confrontation, with Democrats gaining new powers to challenge the administration while Trump retains the authority of the presidency.
