Democrats win both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections
Exit polls found nearly 9 in 10 voters called the cost of living a crucial or major factor, and Trump keeps his veto.
Democrats won control of both and the in Tuesday's elections. NBC News estimates they will hold 259 House seats. With votes still being counted, NBC News reports House Democratic candidates had 55.3% of the national vote to Republicans' 43.3%.
In the Senate, Annie Andrews became the first Democrat elected in South Carolina since 1998, and NBC News says a Mississippi Senate race was still too close to call. Exit polls by SSRS for a group of news organizations found nearly 9 in 10 voters called the cost of living a crucial or major factor in their vote. Nearly two-thirds blamed Trump for high prices, according to Straight Arrow News.
Democratic pollster Ben Tulchin told Straight Arrow News the wave was as big as it was because Republicans chose policies such as and the war in Iran, among other priorities that affected the cost of living. Democrats take over in on Jan. 3, while Trump keeps the White House and his veto. The Daily Wire reports Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that Democrats will send over things that are "insane" and he will veto them.
Axios says House Democrats now face a power struggle over what to do with their majority.
- 259 House seats Democrats are estimated to hold, by NBC News — NBC News
- 55.3% House Democratic candidates' national vote share per NBC News, against 43.3% for Republicans, with votes still being counted — NBC News
- Nearly 9 in 10 voters who called the cost of living a crucial or major factor, in exit polls — Straight Arrow News
- Nearly two-thirds voters who blamed Trump for high prices, in exit polls — Straight Arrow News
- 43-1 record of data center moratoriums put directly to voters, per Vox — Vox
Three sides of the story
Liberal9 outlets
A historic Democratic landslide and what it means
NBC News' politics newsletter opens with the size of the win. Democrats are on track for "the second-biggest House popular vote edge in the last 50 years," with 55.3% of the vote to 43.3% for Republicans. A second NBC piece says new Democratic governors and senators could become 2028 "kingmakers" in early primary states.
The Guardian reads the result as "green populism." It reports experts crediting Democrats with tying cost-of-living worries to rising energy prices and datacenters, and in part to the climate crisis. It also cites a Climate and Community Institute analysis finding that the most aligned candidates won 39 of 56 federal races.
Axios turns to the winners' next fight. Progressive Delia Ramirez calls the night "a rebuke of the status quo," while centrist Josh Gottheimer calls it a "gigantic night for the middle ground." Vox calls the result "a tsunami, not a wave" and lists five lessons, starting with a populist backlash over affordability, corruption and data centers.
Center3 outlets
Did voters trust Democrats or just reject Republicans
Straight Arrow News builds its piece on one question: whether voters now trust Democrats on the economy or simply turned away from Republicans. It draws on exit polls and surveys, including a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll giving Democrats a 40% to 33% edge on handling the economy. Republican pollster Frank Luntz says the issue is "affordability," while Democratic pollster Ben Tulchin says the biggest driver was "Republicans doing such a bad job."
It closes on the limits ahead: Democrats take over Jan. 3, Trump holds the veto, and he posted an image of a red cap reading "VETO." The Hill reports that Democrats in both chambers plan to use their new majorities to unwind as much of Trump's agenda as possible, with ending the war with Iran among their aims. It also offers five takeaways on demographic groups that moved toward Democrats since 2024.
Forbes offers readers "8 Financial Moves To Make Now, Before Democrats Raise Your Taxes."
- Straight Arrow News: Rising costs fueled a blue tsunami. Did Democrats earn voters’ trust or did Republicans squander it?
- The Hill: How Democrats plan to use their majorities to constrain Trump
- The Hill: 5 takeaways on the demographic shifts that powered the Democrats’ midterm victory
- Forbes: 8 Financial Moves To Make Now, Before Democrats Raise Your Taxes
Conservative2 outlets
Big win, but unstable majorities and tax risks
The Washington Examiner's headline says of the win, "Now they have a choice to make." It says Trump "largely squandered" the trifecta, with tariffs and the "fuel price-spiking war in Iran" adding to . A second Examiner piece, by a political scientist, says the results tell "very little about where American politics is going" and describes an "era of unstable majorities."
The Daily Wire turns to taxes, saying the win "could revive billions of dollars in proposed tax increases." It details a proposal from Sen. Cory Booker to raise the top two rates to 41% and 43%. It also describes a proposal from Sen. Chris Van Hollen for an added 10-percentage-point tax on income above $1 million for an individual or $2 million for a married couple.
It notes Trump's tax cuts remain in effect. The Daily Wire reports that Trump told Fox News Democrats will send over "things that are insane" and he will veto them, and that after "a couple of months of vetoes" they will call to work together.
- Washington Examiner: Democrats have won. Now they have a choice to make
- Washington Examiner: The blue wave and America’s era of unstable majorities
- The Daily Wire: What The Midterm Results Mean For Your Taxes
Which side made the stronger case?
- Liberal outlets did not mentionExit polls found nearly two-thirds of voters blamed Trump for higher prices. Reported by Straight Arrow News, Washington Examiner
- Conservative outlets did not mentionLocal ballot measures to restrict data centers passed in all but one of more than 40 votes. Reported by The New Republic, Vox
- Centrist outlets did not mentionLocal ballot measures to restrict data centers passed in all but one of more than 40 votes. Reported by The New Republic, Vox
According to the Daily Wire, federal tax brackets and existing tax breaks are unchanged for now, and any Democratic tax bill would need Trump's signature or enough votes to override a veto. Straight Arrow News says Democrats take over in Congress on Jan. 3, with Trump still holding the veto. The Guardian reports that Trump must compromise with Democrats to pass budgets, "giving them the power to add climate provisions." The Daily Wire lists Sen. Cory Booker's proposal to raise the top two income tax rates to 41% and 43%.
All sources: 20 articles from 14 outlets
Liberal (12)
- Al Jazeera English: Could Trump’s veto stop the Democratic majority?
- Axios: House Democrats face epic power struggle over their massive majority
- NBC News: Sizing up the blue wave: From the Politics Desk
- PBS NewsHour: Midterm voters rebuke Trump, handing Democrats both chambers of Congress
- PBS NewsHour: Breaking down the Democrats' big majorities after the blue wave
- Politico: The size of Democrats’ wave surprised even their top House super PAC
- The Daily Beast: Lara Trump Blames Joe Biden for GOP Midterm Catastrophe
- The Guardian (US): How Democrats used the midterms to turn affordability concerns into ‘green populism’
- The New Republic: Did Data Centers Make the Difference for Democrats?
- The New Republic: If Democrats Can Tell the Right Story, They’ll Keep Winning
- The New Republic: Democrats Are This Close to Being Able to Override a Trump Veto
- Vox: Five lessons from the blue tsunami
Center (4)
- Forbes: 8 Financial Moves To Make Now, Before Democrats Raise Your Taxes
- Straight Arrow News: Rising costs fueled a blue tsunami. Did Democrats earn voters’ trust or did Republicans squander it?
- The Hill: How Democrats plan to use their majorities to constrain Trump
- The Hill: 5 takeaways on the demographic shifts that powered the Democrats’ midterm victory
Conservative (4)
- The Daily Wire: What The Midterm Results Mean For Your Taxes
- Washington Examiner: It was, is, and indefinitely will be the economy, stupid
- Washington Examiner: The blue wave and America’s era of unstable majorities
- Washington Examiner: Democrats have won. Now they have a choice to make
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