Democrats have won control of the United States Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, completing a sweep of Congress that also delivered them the House of Representatives. Projections from multiple outlets put Democrats at 53 to 54 Senate seats, above the 51 needed for a majority, after a night of victories in states that had long been out of their reach.
The result marks the first time since 2006 that the party out of power has won back both chambers of Congress in a single midterm election. It reshapes the final two years of President Donald Trump's term, giving Democrats control of committee chairmanships, investigations, and the legislative calendar in both the House and the Senate.
The Senate gains came across the map. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Trump-backed Ken Paxton, the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham, delivering the party its first Senate victory in the state since 1998. Democrats also flipped seats in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio, according to projections reported overnight.
In Maine, longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins lost her seat after 29 years in office to Democrat Troy Jackson. In North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Trump-endorsed Michael Whatley. In Iowa, Democrats won a Senate seat for the first time in 18 years. The scale of the shift surprised even optimistic Democratic forecasters, who had expected a competitive night rather than a rout.
The House picture points the same way. With results called in 372 of 435 House seats, Democrats held 231 to 141 for Republicans, well past the 218 needed for a majority. Democrats also picked up governorships in Georgia, Ohio, and Texas, including Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia and Gina Hinojosa in Texas.
President Trump said he was willing to accept the results and work with Democrats, telling The New York Times he would look forward to cooperating with the new majorities. In a separate social media post, he argued that Republicans would have won in a landslide if he himself had been on the ballot. The mixed message set the tone for a period of divided government in which the White House is expected to lean more heavily on executive action and vetoes.
Markets reacted cautiously overnight. Futures tied to the S&P 500 slipped about 1.3 percent, Nasdaq-100 futures fell about 2.2 percent, and Dow futures were down about 0.8 percent, while Asian markets also dropped, as investors weighed the prospect of tighter scrutiny of large technology companies and a slower legislative path for the administration's plans. This article is not financial advice.
What happens next will be shaped by the new Democratic leaders in Congress, with Chuck Schumer positioned to lead the Senate and Hakeem Jeffries poised to become Speaker of the House. Democrats have signalled they will challenge the administration's tariffs and push back on cuts passed in the 2025 tax and spending overhaul, while the White House has signalled it will defend its agenda. The final seat counts will firm up as remaining ballots are counted, but control of both chambers is now decided.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times, New York Post, USA Today, The Times, FXStreet, Wall Street Journal.
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