Democrats Win Control of Congress in 2026 Midterms

Democrats won control of the US Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, according to The Guardian. The party is on course for a majority of at least 54 seats in the Senate and 237 seats in the House, both the largest margins for any party in years.

State legislative gains

Democrats gained hundreds of seats in state legislatures across the country. The party gained 258 state legislative seats nationwide, created six new governing trifectas, claimed 11 legislative chambers from the GOP and broke Republican supermajorities in 10 states, according to Chaz Nuttycombe, executive director of State Navigate.

Democrats have not won full control of government in Arizona in 60 years, in Pennsylvania since the 1990s, and in Wisconsin since their wipeout in 2010. In Michigan and Minnesota, they regained trifectas lost after the 2024 election. In Texas, they will control the state house for the first time since 2002.

The party also won gubernatorial elections over Republicans in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas, putting them in control of a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010.

Reactions and priorities

Mandara Meyers, executive director of the States Project, said: "This was the most significant night for state legislative power since the seismic Republican wave in 2010."

Meyers added: "Democrats now have more power in the states than at any other point in the 21st century. So we are really looking at a fundamentally new legislative playing field."

Nuttycombe said: "This wave is attributable to the economy and to people’s dissatisfaction with the president – probably about 80%, 85% of what’s carrying this is that."

Greta Neubauer, who is set to lead Wisconsin’s state assembly after Democrats won a 53-seat majority, said: "We are going to consider congressional redistricting."

Why it matters

The results give Democrats control of Congress and expanded power in state legislatures and governorships, creating new opportunities for legislative action on issues including redistricting, healthcare, and school meals.

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Sources

• goal.com: Perché Meret, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Anguissa, Politano e Zaccagni non giocano Napoli-Lazio: infortunio o scelta tecnica? | Goal.com Italia
• theguardian.com: Not just Congress: Democrats’ blue wave washes over state legislatures across US | US midterm elections 2026 | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.