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Title

Democrats win control of both houses of the US Congress in the 2026 midterm elections

Date
3 November 2026 (counting continued after polling day)
Relevant topic(s)
Power and developmentsDiffering significance of states in global affairsPower and developmentsDifferent systems of governmentPower and developmentsPolarityPower and developmentsHow far changing state relationships address contemporary issues

What happened?

US Capitol
Photo: Original photo by Noclip, Public Domain Mark 1.0

On Tuesday 3 November 2026 the United States held midterm elections for Congress, halfway through President Donald Trump’s second term, and 36 states elected governors. Before the election the Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress, including a 53–47 majority in the Senate, as well as the presidency.

The Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate, according to an NPR analysis of Associated Press (AP) race calls and to AP’s own reporting. In the Senate they gained seven seats previously held by Republicans, in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Iowa and Maine, and held their seats in Georgia, New Hampshire and Michigan. By 7 November AP counted 54 Senate seats for the Democrats and 44 for the Republicans, with Alaska and Mississippi still too close to call. In the House, AP figures on 7 November gave the Democrats 254 seats and the Republicans 162, with 19 races still uncalled; 218 seats are needed for a majority.

Democrats also won governorships previously held by Republicans in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Iowa, while the Republicans held Florida, according to AP. A preliminary estimate by the University of Florida’s Election Lab, reported by Al Jazeera, put turnout at about 48.8% of eligible voters, the second-highest for a midterm in more than a century.

The AP Voter Poll, a large survey of voters carried out for AP and the main US television networks, found that about 4 in 10 voters named the economy as the most important issue facing the country, and about 3 in 10 the state of democracy. About 6 in 10 disapproved of how Trump was handling the presidency. AP reported that the high cost of petrol and food was a major concern and linked rising prices partly to tariffs; Trump himself linked higher petrol prices to the war with Iran, which Al Jazeera reports the US began in February 2026.

Leaders of both parties gave different readings of the result. Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer presented it as a call for change and promised to hold the administration to account. President Trump said he “wasn’t on the Ballot”, said he would accept the result and promised to veto Democratic bills. Vice-President JD Vance blamed the Iran war for the Republican losses, a view Trump described as “largely true” while defending the war. Senate Republican leader John Thune said his party would work with Trump to resist Democratic plans.

  • NPR, using Associated Press race calls, found that the Democrats had won control of both the House and the Senate on 3–4 November 2026, giving them full control of Congress for the first time since 2023.
  • Before the election the Republicans held a 53–47 majority in the Senate, and the Democrats held 214 House seats.
  • Democrats gained seven Republican-held Senate seats: North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Iowa and Maine. They held Georgia, New Hampshire and Michigan.
  • By 7 November 2026 AP counted 54 Senate seats for the Democrats and 44 for the Republicans, with the races in Alaska and Mississippi uncalled. The new Congress meets on 3 January 2027.
  • In Mississippi, with about 97% of votes counted, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes on 7 November, according to AP. State law provides no recount, and counties must certify results by 13 November.
  • In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Republican Senator Dan Sullivan by 637 votes in AP’s count. If no candidate passes 50%, ranked-choice counting begins on 18 November.
  • AP figures on 7 November gave the Democrats 254 House seats and the Republicans 162, with 19 races uncalled. Fox News’s results page showed the same totals on 8 November. A majority needs 218 seats.
  • Fox News’s results page on 8 November showed a net gain of 42 House seats for the Democrats. CBS News reported on 5 November that 43 districts had changed from Republican to Democratic and 2 from Democratic to Republican.
  • AP reported that Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since 1932, and that the Texas Senate winner was the first Democrat to win statewide office there in more than 30 years.
  • Thirty-six states elected governors. Democrats won governorships in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Iowa, where Republicans had held power; Republicans held Florida. Republicans held 26 of the 50 governorships before the election.
  • A preliminary University of Florida Election Lab estimate, reported by Al Jazeera, put turnout at about 122.7 million ballots, or about 48.8% of eligible voters: the second-highest midterm turnout in more than a century, just below 2018.
  • The AP Voter Poll surveyed about 80,000 voters in all 50 states. It is conducted by SSRS for AP, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, NBC News and Versant.
  • In the AP Voter Poll, about 4 in 10 voters named the economy as the top issue facing the country, about 3 in 10 the state of democracy and about 1 in 10 immigration or health care; few named foreign policy.
  • AP reported that about half of voters called government corruption and the cost of living “crucial” to their vote, more than said so about immigration enforcement or the war in Iran. About 6 in 10 disapproved of Trump’s handling of the presidency.
  • AP reported that about two-thirds of voters said Trump’s policies had added to inflation, and that voters across many states broadly agreed his tariffs had done more harm than good.
  • Trump said he “wasn’t on the Ballot” and that he would veto Democratic legislation, calling himself “Mr. Veto”. Vice-President JD Vance blamed the war with Iran, which began in February 2026 according to Al Jazeera, for the Republican losses; Trump called that “largely true” while defending the war.
  • Overriding a presidential veto, for example to reverse tariffs, needs two-thirds majorities in both chambers, which the Democrats did not win, according to CFR analysts. Democrats can still use funding, hearings and Senate confirmations: Schumer said “We are going to end the war” with Iran, Representative Jim Himes said Ukraine aid could move in weeks rather than months, and Republican Senate aides told RFE/RL the result could increase pressure for sanctions on Russia.
  • Foreign reactions varied, according to NPR: Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius congratulated the Democrats and said Berlin would work with both parties; Japan said its US alliance remained essential whatever the result; China called the elections an internal US affair; Iran’s parliament speaker said Americans had said “no to war”; and a Russian deputy foreign minister called the Democratic activist wing’s approach to Russia “extremely negative”.
House of Representatives seats called, 7–8 November 2026
  • Democrats254
  • Republicans162
  • Not yet called19

AP figures reported by Yahoo News on 7 November and shown on Fox News’s results page on 8 November. 218 seats are needed for a majority. Results are not yet certified.

Senate seats after the 2026 elections, as of 7 November 2026
  • Democrats54
  • Republicans44
  • Not yet called (Alaska, Mississippi)2

AP count. Before the election Republicans held 53 seats and Democrats 47.

Why is it politically significant?

The United States is the world’s most powerful state, so a change in who controls Congress matters beyond its borders. Governments from Germany and Japan to Iran, Russia and China responded publicly to the result, according to NPR. Analysts at the Council on Foreign Relations and RFE/RL expect the new Democratic majorities to use the budget, hearings and Senate confirmations to press the administration on the war with Iran, sanctions on Russia and support for Ukraine.

The election also shows how a democracy’s checks work in a presidential system. Voters cannot remove a president at a midterm, but they can change the Congress that funds and scrutinises the government. From January 2027 the US will have divided government: the president keeps the veto and his powers as commander-in-chief, while Congress controls spending and the Senate approves appointments. Supporters of the result see this as accountability; critics, including Republican leaders, warn it will lead to obstruction and investigations rather than solutions.

How far this changes the US’s role in the world is debated. Some, such as Democratic congressman Jim Himes, expect quicker aid to Ukraine, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would try to end the Iran war. Others point out that Democrats lack the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto, that foreign policy did not rank highly among voters’ concerns, and that earlier attempts by Congress to end a war through funding, such as over Iraq in 2007, failed.

How to use

Which arguments does it support?

The domestic politics of a great power affect the rest of the world

Reasoning
The US is so significant in global affairs that a change in control of its legislature is watched and responded to by other states.
Evidence
Germany, Japan, China, Iran and Russia all commented publicly on the result, and analysts expect pressure on US policy towards Iran, Russia and Ukraine.
How it supports the argument
Other states adjust their expectations of US policy to the balance of power in Washington, not only to the president.

Democratic systems allow voters to check those in power

Reasoning
Regular elections and the separation of powers let voters change part of the government between presidential elections.
Evidence
About 6 in 10 voters in the AP Voter Poll disapproved of the president, and his party lost control of both chambers of Congress.
How it supports the argument
A new majority gains control of spending, investigations and Senate confirmations, so the president must now negotiate with his opponents.

Congress can shape US foreign policy through the budget and appointments

Reasoning
Congress approves defence and foreign aid spending, writes sanctions into law, and the Senate confirms ambassadors and officials.
Evidence
CFR analysts expect hearings and legislation on the Iran war; Schumer said Democrats would try to end the war; Himes said Ukraine aid could move far faster.
How it supports the argument
Even without passing new laws over a veto, control of funding and confirmations gives the new majorities bargaining power.

US commitments to allies depend on support at home

Reasoning
Allies and rivals judge the reliability of US power partly by whether its policies have lasting domestic backing.
Evidence
Republican Senate aides told RFE/RL that the result could increase pressure for Russia sanctions; CFR notes Congress has already set a minimum of 76,000 US troops in Europe.
How it supports the argument
Congress can make some commitments harder for a president to reverse, which affects how far other states rely on the US.

Which counterarguments exist?

Alternative view

The president still controls foreign policy

Analysts quoted by CFR, RFE/RL and the Christian Science Monitor note that the president remains commander-in-chief and keeps the veto, and the Democrats lack the two-thirds majorities needed to override it. In 2007 a Democratic Congress tried to use funding to end the Iraq War and failed when President Bush vetoed a withdrawal timetable.

Other explanations

Voters judged domestic issues, not foreign policy

In the AP Voter Poll the economy, the state of democracy and the cost of living mattered far more than foreign policy, which few named as the top issue. Trump argued that he was not on the ballot and that voters did not like the candidates, so the result may say little about support for his foreign policy.

A different conclusion

Pressure from Congress could weaken the US abroad

Some analysts argue that visible division in Washington helps rivals. Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told the Christian Science Monitor that Iran sees more leverage after the midterms, and Dania Arayssi of the New Lines Institute told RFE/RL that Iran would be under less pressure to compromise. Republican leaders say the new majorities will obstruct rather than govern.

Limits of the evidence

The results are not yet final

At the last check 19 House races and two Senate races had not been called, no state had certified its results, and turnout figures were preliminary estimates. Seat numbers come from news organisations’ counts and may change.

Concepts and connections

Concepts it illustrates

MandateLegitimacy

Related examples

None linked yet.

Sources and verification

Event3 November 2026 (counting continued after polling day)
Added to bank8 November 2026
Last checked8 November 2026
Next check due8 May 2027
  1. 6
    Publisher Associated Press (via WSOC-TV)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
    Source to check
  2. 5
    Publisher NPR (via OPB)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  3. 4
    Publisher NPR (via St. Louis Public Radio)Published 2026-11-03Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  4. 1
    Publisher Yahoo News (AP results)Published 2026-11-07Type NewsChecked not yet opened
    Source to check
  5. 2
    Publisher Fox NewsPublished 2026-11-08Type DataChecked not yet opened
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  6. 7
    Publisher CBS NewsPublished 2026-11-07Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  7. 3
    Publisher CBS NewsPublished 2026-11-06Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  8. 8
    Publisher Al JazeeraPublished 2026-11-05Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  9. 10
    Publisher Al JazeeraPublished 2026-11-05Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  10. 11
    Publisher Associated Press (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  11. 12
    Publisher Associated Press (via KSAT)Published 2026-11-05Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  12. 9
    Publisher Associated Press (via WRDW)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  13. 13
    Publisher Associated Press (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution)Published 2026-11-05Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  14. 14
    Publisher Al JazeeraPublished 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  15. 15
    Publisher Council on Foreign RelationsPublished 2026-11-04Type ReportChecked not yet opened
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  16. 16
    Publisher Christian Science MonitorPublished 2026-11-06Type NewsChecked not yet opened
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  17. 17
    Publisher RFE/RL (via Eurasia Review)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
    Source to check
  18. 18
    Publisher NPR (via OPB)Published 2026-11-04Type NewsChecked not yet opened
    Source to check

About this example

Is it still current?

Developing

At the last check (7–8 November 2026), 19 House races and the Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi had not been called, and final results had not been certified. The new Congress meets on 3 January 2027.

Why it is in the bank

A major recent election in the world’s most powerful state, showing democratic checks on a president and their possible effects on US foreign policy.

  • ✓Relevance to the specification
  • PartlyStrength and reliability of the evidenceSeat counts come from AP figures reported by news sites and Fox News’s results page; AP’s own results pages could not be opened, and no official certified results or Clerk of the House figures exist yet.
  • ✓Importance to a wider political debate
  • ✓Usefulness in evaluative essays
  • ✓Connections to other topics
  • ✓Sufficiently current
  • ✓Adds something new to the bank

Editorial status

Approved

Signed off for students.

Origin: Human-written · Reviewer: Editor

Every fact on this page has been checked against original sources.