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US Politics

Democrats win both the House and Senate in midterm elections

Trump says he will accept the results and work with Democrats, but also says he will veto legislation he calls insane.

13 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from conservative outlets
Liberal7 outletsVoters repudiate Trump, leaving him a lame duckCenter4 outletsA historic wave and MAGA's uncertain futureConservative2 outletsExit polls show Trump's 2024 coalition crumbling
Published 4 min read
Overview

Democrats won majorities in both and the in the elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The Christian Science Monitor reports they also won a majority of governorships and, with ballots still being counted, lead the national popular vote by 13.8 percentage points. Time reports that Trump's handpicked candidates, including Ken Paxton in Texas and Darlene Graham in South Carolina, lost.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa won the governorship over Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Al Jazeera reports that Trump said in Truth Social posts he lost because he was not on the ballot. It also reports that he told The New York Times he was "absolutely willing to accept those results" and to "work with the Democrats."

He then posted an image of a red hat reading "VETO" and told Fox News he would veto all "insane" legislation from Democrats. Time reports he told Fox News that gasoline prices keep people from seeing a great economy and that Iran caused them. Vice President JD Vance wrote on X, "The reason we lost is the war," the Christian Science Monitor reports.

It says Trump started the war with Israel in February. An NBC News exit poll found 43% voted to express disapproval of Trump, Time reports.

Key figures
  • 13.8 percentage points Democrats' lead in the popular vote, with ballots still being counted, per the Christian Science Monitor — Christian Science Monitor
  • 43% voters who said they voted to express disapproval of Trump, in an NBC News exit poll cited by Time — Time
  • 90 percent voters calling government corruption a crucial or major factor, in a national exit poll cited by Townhall — Townhall
  • 89 percent voters calling cost of living a crucial or major factor, in a national exit poll cited by Townhall — Townhall
  • 74 percent voters calling the Iran war a crucial or major factor, in a national exit poll cited by Townhall — Townhall

Three sides of the story

Liberal7 outlets

Voters repudiate Trump, leaving him a lame duck

Time's "Welcome to Trump's Lame-Duck Era" opens on the eve of the vote, with Trump spending much of a 53-minute speech on construction projects. It calls the Democratic win "a clear repudiation of Trump" and quotes him telling Fox News that Iran caused the gasoline prices. Al Jazeera asks whether Trump is really a "lame duck," describes his reaction as "mixed," and explains that only a two-thirds vote in both chambers can overturn a veto.

It quotes James Boys of UCL saying Trump should be expected to spend much of his remaining time on foreign policy, where presidents hold wide powers. Semafor's "Trump's politics meet reality" argues that his hard-edged style stops working when voters do not see a good economy and peace abroad, and notes that Vivek Ramaswamy and Ken Paxton tried his tactics and lost. The New Republic's "Trumpism Is Failing Because It Is Very, Very Stupid" argues that Trump's approval sits in the low 30s and that Republicans will need a new frontrunner.

Center4 outlets

A historic wave and MAGA's uncertain future

The Christian Science Monitor asks "Does have a future?" and calls the result the biggest wave in modern midterm history when measured by vote margin, ahead of 1994 and 2018. It quotes Vice President Vance's post, "The reason we lost is the war," and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calling the midterms "close to an extinction-level event for Republicans." Political scientist Jennifer Lawless of the University of Virginia says that unless other very high-profile candidates can generate coattail effects, she does not see a future for Trump's movement after him.

The paper adds that Democrats were divided over a third heading into the midterms. It also reports that Trump told reporters he will "probably get along with the Democrats" unless they want to be "destructive." The Hill's headline says Trump "faces reckoning, but focuses on ballroom, after devastating losses," and it reports that the 2024 coalition that put him in office fell apart despite his efforts to mobilize his base.

A Journal opinion piece says that coalition rebukes his second-term priorities and performance, and a Hill opinion column calls for a rebirth of a principled Republican Party.

Conservative2 outlets

Exit polls show Trump's 2024 coalition crumbling

Townhall's headline says Trump's 2024 coalition "just crumbled" and calls the exit poll numbers "stunning." It cites preliminary exit polling from an SSRS Voter Poll: Latinos overall moved 27 points right in 2024 and 20 points left in 2026, and voters ages 18 to 29 moved 13 points right in 2024 and 35 points toward Democrats this time. The writer notes the exact numbers may shift as results are finalized but says the direction is clear.

The writer argues that Republicans who blame voters should start with self-reflection. Townhall also cites a national exit poll shared by Tim Alberta, in which 90 percent called corruption a crucial or major factor, 89 percent cost of living and 74 percent the Iran war. The writer guesses that disapproval of the war stems mainly from gas prices.

The Washington Times headline asks "End of MAGA?" and says a "meteor strike" left the Trump coalition "in shambles." It reports that Republicans woke Wednesday to a "complete wipeout" that forced a reckoning within the party over the future of Trump's MAGA movement.

All sources: 21 articles from 13 outlets

Liberal (12)

Center (6)

Conservative (3)

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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
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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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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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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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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Impeachment

A formal accusation against a top official, up to the president, voted by the House of Representatives. Only the Senate can then remove the official, with two-thirds of the votes.

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