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

Democrats have won control of both the U.S. House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to reports from The Guardian and Global News. The sweep included flipping several governorships, including in Texas and Iowa.

Election Results and Impact on Republican Endorsements

Analysis by The Guardian indicates that many Republican candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump lost their races. As of Wednesday at 5pm ET, just half of the 26 candidates Trump endorsed for the U.S. Senate had won their elections. In the House, roughly 60% of Trump-endorsed candidates won, though 46 Trump-backed House candidates have lost so far.

Notable losses for Trump-endorsed candidates include:

• Senate: Ken Paxton lost to James Talarico in Texas, marking the first time a Democrat has been elected to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate since 1988. Darline Graham lost to Dr. Annie Andrews in South Carolina. Mike Rogers lost to Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.
• Governor: Democrats flipped five governor seats, including Texas and Iowa.
• House: Rob Bresnahan lost to Paige Cognetti in Pennsylvania’s eighth district, and Monica De La Cruz lost to Bobby Pulido in Texas’s 15th district.

Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican who lost her Trump endorsement, wrote on X, “Tonight was a total referendum on Trump,” adding, “He told people to vote like he was on the ballot and they did.” President Trump responded on Truth Social, stating, “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!”

Implications for U.S.-China Relations and Technology

Analysts suggest the Democratic victory may shift U.S. policy toward China. Scott Kennedy, senior advisor and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, “On balance as a result of the midterms the Democrats may nudge the U.S.’s China policy in a more hawkish direction through hearings and legislation, particularly on economic security issues and Taiwan.”

George Chen, partner and co-chair of digital practice at consultancy The Asia Group, noted that “Taiwan remains the most dangerous issue in U.S.-China relations and, in my view, the area where a Democratic Congress is most likely to challenge Beijing.”

International Reactions

In Canada, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the results as a “vindication of our approach when it comes to tariffs,” stating, “We always have objected to tariffs. We know it hurts us. It hurts the Americans.”

In response to the ongoing trade dispute, the Alberta government announced a policy to prioritize Albertan and Canadian companies for small government contracts. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally stated this is a “practical, common-sense way that we can help businesses that we know could be struggling or impacted because of the current tariffs.”

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Sources

• theguardian.com: Trump-backed Republicans lose dozens of US midterm races, raising questions over his influence | US midterm elections 2026 | The Guardian
• cnbc.com: What the Democrat midterms sweep changes for U.S.-China tech rivalry
• ft.com: Subscribe to read
• globalnews.ca: Alberta Premier Smith says U.S. midterms ‘vindication’ of her approach to tariffs | Globalnews.ca

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