Democrats Wrest Control of Congress in 2026 Midterm Elections
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Democrats captured majorities in both chambers of Congress, flipping multiple Senate seats and widening their House edge, while President Donald Trump said he would accept the outcome.
Democrats took control of the Senate and expanded their majority in the House in the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a sharp rebuke to Republican rule and a major shift in congressional power. The party secured 54 Senate seats, including pickups in traditionally Republican states such as Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, Maine and North Carolina, while defending a key seat in Michigan. In the House, Democrats reached 228 seats, surpassing the 218 needed for a majority, with projections suggesting they could hold as many as 240 seats.
The results also brought Democratic victories in gubernatorial races in Texas, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Nevada. Several close contests, including races in Alaska, Mississippi, Colorado, Michigan, Maine, New York, California and North Carolina, remain unresolved.
"I am absolutely willing to accept the election results," President Donald Trump told The New York Times after the outcomes were clear.
Historic milestones were noted as well: Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman elected governor of New Mexico, Keisha Lanca Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor, and Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.
Republican leaders expressed uncertainty about the party’s direction following the losses.