Democrats Win Control of U.S. House and Senate in 2026 Midterm Elections

Democrats have won control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to reports from NPR and the Washington Examiner.

Congressional Results

In the House of Representatives, Democrats have secured 222 seats, surpassing the 218-seat threshold required for a majority. This follows the previous 119th Congress, where Republicans held a 218-seat majority. Upon the House convening, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is expected to succeed Mike Johnson (R-LA) as House Speaker.

In the Senate, Democrats have secured 54 seats. The party reached the 50-seat threshold following Josh Turek’s victory in Iowa, where he defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) by more than 4 points.

Key State Races

Several state-level elections resulted in significant shifts in political control:

• Texas: Democrats won both major statewide contests as Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott and James Talarico defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton. Hinojosa will become Texas’s first Latina governor and its first female governor since 1995.
• Georgia: Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Rick Jackson to become the state’s first Black governor and the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.
• Ohio: Democrat Amy Acton won the governor's race by nearly six points over Vivek Ramaswamy.
• South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) by more than 4 points to become the state's first Democratic senator in over 20 years.
• Florida: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) won the gubernatorial race against David Jolly.
• New Mexico: Democratic nominee Deb Haaland is on track to become the first indigenous woman elected governor of any U.S. state.

International Reactions

The election results drew varied responses from global leaders and media outlets. The Toronto Star called the results a "rebuke" to President Trump, while Mexico's El Universal described it as a "Setback for Trump."

In Israel, political leaders reacted to the news amid ongoing coalition-building talks. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid stated the results "eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu."

In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, "The people of America have spoken," and noted, "I do think that this is going to introduce a new era in world relations."

In China, a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry stated the elections "are an internal affair of the United States."

Why it matters

With Democrats controlling both chambers, President Trump has expressed his intent to use his veto power for any Democrat-led bill that may cross his desk during his remaining two years in office.

---

Sources

• npr.org: World reacts to Democrats’ midterm elections victory : NPR
• washingtonexaminer.com: Takeaways from the 2026 midterm elections

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