Democrats win control of U.S. House and Senate in 2026 midterms

Democrats have won clear majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to DW. The results represent a shift from the pre-election status where Republicans held the majority in both chambers.

Congressional Results

In the U.S. Senate, Democrats crossed the 51-seat threshold required for control by winning races in several Republican strongholds, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Kansas, Texas, and Iowa. According to DW, Democrats also flipped seats in Ohio and Maine. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins.

In the House of Representatives, Democrats crossed the 218-seat threshold required for a majority. NBC News projects Democrats will win approximately 255 House seats. Notable victories include:

• Texas: Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton.
• South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham.
• Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers.
• New Hampshire: Democrat Chris Pappas won the Senate race.
• Virginia: Democrat Elaine Luria won her former seat, and Democrat Shannon Taylor defeated Republican Rep. Rob Wittman.

Voter Demographics and Issues

Data from a representative survey of almost 80,000 verified voters conducted by SSRS on behalf of AP and other news organizations highlights several demographic trends:

• Age: Three-quarters of 18- to 24-year-olds voted Democrat, while 51% of voters aged 65 and up voted Republican.
• Geography: 71% of urban voters voted Democrat, compared to 58% of suburban voters. Almost 60% of rural and small town voters were Republican.
• Education: Democrats made up 62% of voters with a college degree.
• Ethnicity: 92% of Black women voted Democrat. The majority of both Latino men and women voted Democrat.

Political analysts attributed the Democratic victories to voter dissatisfaction regarding the economy, rising gas prices, and the U.S. war with Iran, according to Northeastern University professors Costas Panagopoulos and Martha Johnson.

Why it matters

Democratic control of Congress will allow the party to take over House committees, granting them subpoena power and the ability to conduct oversight investigations into the Trump administration. House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries stated, "The American people have spoken and made clear they’ve had enough of the extremism, enough of the corruption."

---

Sources

• dw.com: US midterms in charts: Democrats win majority in Congress
• news.northeastern.edu: 2026 Midterm Election Results: Did the Blue Wave Happen?
• nbcnews.com: Democrats win control of the House and vow to keep Trump in check
• apnews.com: Democrats win US House and Senate, taking full control of Congress | AP News
• abc7.com: 2026 midterm elections: Democrats projected to win enough seats to gain control of the House - ABC7 Los Angeles

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