Democrats seize control of both chambers of Congress in sweeping midterm victory
Democrats have won control of both chambers of the US Congress in a sweeping midterm election victory that saw Republicans lose seats even in traditionally conservative states, according to race projections by the Associated Press.
The results mark a major setback for President Donald Trump, whose Republican Party is set to lose control of Congress for the final two years of his presidency.
According to AP projections, Democrats have secured at least 53 seats in the Senate, exceeding the 51 needed for a majority. They have also won at least 220 seats in the House of Representatives, where 218 are required for control. Vote counting continues in several races.
Democratic Senate candidates won in seven states previously held by Republicans, including Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The victory in Kansas is particularly notable: the state has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. Texas last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 1988.
Democrats also flipped Republican-held governorships in Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Texas. In House races, they won districts that had supported Trump by margins of up to 18 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
The newly elected Congress will convene on January 3, 2027. Until then, Republicans will retain control of both chambers, meaning Democrats will not be able to exercise their new congressional majorities immediately.
What the results mean for Trump
Democratic control of Congress will allow the party to block much of Trump's legislative agenda, scrutinize his administration and reject presidential nominees requiring Senate confirmation.
Speaking to The New York Times, Trump said he was prepared to accept the election results and work with Democrats.
He also sought to distance himself from Republican losses, writing on Truth Social that his name had not been on the ballot.
According to AP's voter survey, many Americans blamed the Trump administration for high living costs and wanted Congress to exercise greater oversight of the president.
Ukrainian-American candidates see contrasting results
Eugene Vindman, a Democratic lawmaker born in Ukraine, was projected to win his House race with nearly 60% of the vote, compared with approximately 38% for his closest rival.
Meanwhile, Republican Representative Victoria Spartz, who was born in Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast, lost her reelection bid. Spartz had previously opposed or obstructed legislation providing military assistance to Ukraine.
The Associated Press projects election winners based on vote counts and other electoral data. Official certification of results typically takes several weeks.