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US Politics

Democrats win the Senate and are projected to win the House in midterms

Trump says Democrats "did a good job" and blames Republican candidates for the losses, adding "I don't view it as a hit on me."

The U.S. Capitol in Washington
The U.S. Capitol in Washington. Photo: Architect of the Capitol, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
9 news outlets reported this
Liberal4 outletsDemocratic sweep as a rebuke of TrumpCenter3 outletsDemocratic win across red and battleground statesConservative2 outletsDemocrats' win, Republican vows, and inflation worries
Published 3 min read
Overview

Democrats won control of in Tuesday's elections, with all 435 House seats and 35 seats on the ballot. In the Senate, they flipped at least seven Republican seats, among them Kansas, Texas and South Carolina, and held Georgia and Michigan. Democrats are projected to take , and the Seattle Times reports more than two dozen districts changed hands.

Democrat James Talarico won a Senate seat in Texas. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won in Michigan and became the first Muslim elected to the Senate. Democrats also took governorships from Republicans, including in Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Texas.

In a Fox News interview, Trump said Democrats "did a good job," faulted Republican candidates for the losses and said "I don't view it as a hit on me." Mike Johnson, a Republican, said the outcome was "not what we'd hoped and fought for" and that a new battle is beginning. The AP Voter Poll suggests most voters hold Trump's administration responsible for high costs and favor more checks on him from Congress.

The Seattle Times says Democrats will have "the power to block his legislative agenda, reject his appointees and investigate his administration." CBN News says Johnson is expected to lose his post as speaker when the new Congress opens in January.

Key figures
  • at least seven Senate seats Democrats flipped — The Seattle Times
  • more than two dozen House districts Democrats flipped — The Seattle Times
  • at least a 10-seat majority Democrats' House margin so far, per CBN News, with dozens of races outstanding — CBN News
  • 53% House voters who strongly disapprove of Trump, per ABC News Voter Polls — ABC News
  • just under 30% Americans who say Trump is doing a good job, per DW — Deutsche Welle

Three sides of the story

Liberal4 outlets

Democratic sweep as a rebuke of Trump

The Independent calls it "a disastrous night" for Republicans and says Democrats' wins in places like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina were dubbed a "Blue Tsunami." It reports Trump first blamed his candidates, then posted a picture of a red hat reading "VETO," and highlights Talarico's win over Paxton and El-Sayed's history-making victory. ABC News builds its piece on ABC News Voter Polls: about 6 in 10 House voters disapprove of Trump, 43% say their vote was to oppose him versus 16% to support him, and 62% of voters who reported hardship blame his policies for higher prices.

NBC News headlines "Decision 2026: Democrats Win Control of House and Senate" and lists clips including Jeffries on the results and "Trump Reacts to Midterm Results: 'I Wasn't on the Ballot.'" Al Jazeera English says Trump "loses control of Congress" in a "major setback" after "historic gains" for Democrats.

Center3 outlets

Democratic win across red and battleground states

The Seattle Times leads with Democrats winning Congress in "a widespread repudiation" of Trump and the Republican Party. It lists the flipped Senate seats and governorships, quotes Trump saying "I don't view it as a hit on me," and adds reaction from Johnson, an Iranian diplomat and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who tied the results to cost of living. DW reports Democrats crossed the thresholds in both chambers, then walks through survey data from almost 80,000 verified voters, saying Republicans lost support among all demographic groups compared with 2022.

BBC News calls it "an extraordinary night for the Democrats," noting that South Carolina was "a huge shock," that Kansas had not returned a Democratic senator since 1932, and that CBS News projected the House. Its second piece covers Roy Cooper's North Carolina win and Keisha Lance Bottoms' Georgia victory.

Conservative2 outlets

Democrats' win, Republican vows, and inflation worries

CBN News headlines the result "Democrats Sweep Midterms, Seize Control of Congress in Blue Wave Rebuke of Trump Agenda." It reports a Democratic House majority of at least 10 seats and Senate pickups, with Mississippi too close to call. It quotes analyst David Brody saying the good news for Republicans "is gonna have to be in the Bible,"

Mark Hamrick on inflation, Schumer, Jeffries and Talarico. It reports that Johnson, expected to lose the gavel, said "that fight has just begun for our generation." It also notes the coalition from 2024 "didn't show up."

The Center Square's piece, written as polls were closing, says Republicans held a razor-thin House majority and that rising gas and grocery costs are "largely due to" Trump's and the US-Iran conflict. It adds that Republicans leaned on the "One Big Beautiful Bill" tax cuts.

All sources: 12 articles from 9 outlets

Liberal (4)

Center (6)

Conservative (2)

Related
US Politics · Elections 2026

Guardian: Cost of living is a top worry for voters as midterms near

The Guardian cites a long Ohio county strike and union leaders, while The New York Times says many voters blame President Trump's policies for inflation.

41 news outlets reported this · Liberal outlets only
1 min
Congress

The US parliament: the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill becomes law when both pass it and the president signs it.

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Midterm elections

US elections halfway through a president's four-year term. The whole House, a third of the Senate and many governors are elected. In 2026 Election Day is November 3.

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Senate

The upper chamber of Congress: 100 senators, two per state, elected for six years. It confirms judges and ministers and approves treaties.

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House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress: 435 members elected every two years, with more seats for bigger states. It is the chamber that can impeach officials.

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Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by its members, usually from the majority party. Second in line to the presidency after the vice president.

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Inflation and the CPI

How fast prices rise. In the US it is measured by the consumer price index, published monthly for a basket of goods and services. “Core” inflation leaves out food and energy, whose prices swing the most.

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MAGA

“Make America Great Again”: Donald Trump's slogan since his first presidential campaign, now also the name of his political movement and its supporters.

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