Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections. They routed Republicans in states and districts the GOP had held comfortably for decades, delivering a sweeping rebuke to President Trump halfway through his second term.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Democrats had won 234 House seats to Republicans' 139. Twenty-eight districts had flipped from red to blue, and more races were still being counted.
Senate: Breakthroughs in Red States
- Texas: Democrat James Talarico defeated state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a historic win for the party in the Lone Star State.
- Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed beat Trump-endorsed Republican Mike Rogers.
- Ohio: Former Sen. Sherrod Brown won the seat once held by Vice President JD Vance.
- South Carolina, Iowa and Kansas: Democrats also won in all three states, which rarely send the party to the Senate.
- Alaska: Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan were nearly tied early Wednesday, with Sullivan slightly ahead. A second candidate named Dan J. Sullivan, nicknamed "Decoy Dan," drew under 2%.
Governors
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa unseated Gov. Greg Abbott. In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.
House Upsets
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), a 16-year veteran of Congress, lost Michigan's 4th District to state Sen. Sean McCann. Trump carried the district by six points in 2024, but McCann led by 1.8 points when the Associated Press called the race Wednesday afternoon. Huizenga had considered a Senate run before Trump talked him out of it.
Not every incumbent who lost was a Republican. In Los Angeles, Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who was seeking a sixth term, was projected to lose to Angela Gonzales-Torres, a fellow Democrat backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Gomez faces a House Ethics Committee inquiry after a woman accused him of sexual harassment and assault. He admitted to an extramarital affair in June and has said his conduct was consensual.
Ballot Measures
California voters approved Proposition 1, an $11.25 billion bond for affordable housing. Supporters say it will help ease the state's housing shortage, and critics warn it commits taxpayers to decades of repayments.
The White House Responds
Trump acknowledged on election night that the war with Iran was "a piece" of the GOP's losses but said he stood by the decision. By Wednesday, the White House had turned to other subjects. It promoted coverage of the administration's Western Hemisphere policy, and the president highlighted construction of the new White House ballroom.
Based on reporting by the New York Post (nypost.com). Photo: The west front of the United States Capitol (Architect of the Capitol, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
