Election 2026LiveSenate54 Dem · 44 Rep · 2 to callHouse254 Dem · 162 Rep · 19 to callGovernors28 Dem · 20 Rep · 2 to callUpdated 09:07 ET · AP race calls
ABRAnews Three sides to every story.
US Politics

Democrats win both House and Senate in midterm elections

About 9 in 10 voters in an AP poll called the cost of living a crucial or major factor, and Vance blames the Iran war.

10 news outlets reported this
Liberal6 outletsVoters demanded change, now Democrats must deliverCenter2 outletsInflation and Iran war, and who Republicans blameConservative2 outletsDemocrats' healthcare and affordability agenda, and its limits
Published 4 min readMoney and daily life
Overview

Democrats won control of both and the in the elections held Tuesday, ousting Republicans across the country. Republicans also lost in states Trump carried in 2024, including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina. The New Republic counts at least 54 Senate seats and 245 House seats for Democrats, with more wins possible.

In an AP poll of about 100,000 voters, about 9 in 10 called the cost of living a crucial or major factor in their vote. Trump told reporters the Iran war drove gasoline up "a little bit, short term," but said that if he had to do it again, he would. Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that the war is the reason Republicans lost.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the result a "rebuke of the president and the " by Democrats, independents and some Republicans, and Sen. Thom Tillis called Vance's explanation "oversimplified." Oil prices fell on Wednesday as investors bet the Democratic wins would push Washington to wind down the war. Democrats do not have enough votes to override a Trump veto.

Key figures
  • at least 54 Senate and 245 House seats Democratic seats by The New Republic's count, with more wins possible — The New Republic
  • about 9 in 10 voters in the AP poll who called the cost of living a crucial or major factor — The Seattle Times
  • 3.7% rise in consumer prices over 12 months — The Seattle Times
  • $4.10 a gallon national average for regular gasoline on Thursday, per AAA — Newsweek
  • 5.5 percent Nasdaq drop on Thursday, per Newsweek — Newsweek

Three sides of the story

Liberal6 outlets

Voters demanded change, now Democrats must deliver

Axios frames the story as "the test for Dems": delivering household budget relief. It quotes Brendan Duke of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who answers "No" when asked if prices can return to 2019 levels, but says many price shocks are policy-induced and policy can reverse them, with the "big, fat asterisk" that Trump might not sign off. The New Republic says the results rejected the idea that billionaires and their companies "can do anything they want and can pay politicians to do anything they want."

It counts at least 17 Democrats who are union members as likely headed to Congress, 13 of them flipping red districts, and quotes firefighter Bob Brooks, who beat Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie by 12 points. CBS News, carrying a KFF Health News report, follows the for All debate through nurse Kim Bogan. It quotes Jonathan Oberlander saying voters "by and large didn't vote to have the government take over health insurance."

Yahoo News runs a Bloomberg wire report saying voters gave Democrats "a mandate to fix their money problems," then walks through taxes, housing and prices.

Center2 outlets

Inflation and Iran war, and who Republicans blame

Newsweek's "Where Republicans Are Laying Blame" sets out the reactions one by one: Vance saying the war is why Republicans lost, DeSantis calling it a "rebuke," Ted Cruz citing a "Watergate-level repudiation," Marjorie Taylor Greene blaming Trump, and Tillis calling Vance's view oversimplified.

It also quotes Trump saying "I wasn't on the ballot." A second Newsweek piece looks at markets, reporting the Nasdaq's 5.5 percent drop on Thursday, the oil decline and AAA gas prices. The Seattle Times runs an AP report that opens with Trump "publicly humbled by " and cites the AP Voter Poll on costs, and AI.

It also runs the Bloomberg wire report on what the results mean for taxes, retirement, investments and housing, quoting analysts such as BNY Wealth's Alvina Lo.

Conservative2 outlets

Democrats' healthcare and affordability agenda, and its limits

The Center Square reports on what Democrats say they will do with power. New Hampshire Senate Democratic leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka says the focus is on "lowering costs." Texas state Rep. Salman Bhojani says he wants to "govern from the middle."

Casey Hite of Aeroflow Health warns that work requirements start in January and says "The election changed who holds the gavel, it doesn't change the calendar." The report notes Trump has called himself "Mr. Veto" and that Democrats lack the votes to override him, and quotes Erin Covey of The Cook Political Report on a possible divide between Democratic Socialists of America candidates and moderates. RedState posts a Townhall video in which Larry O'Connor and AARP's John Hishta discuss why voters over 50 broke toward Democrats, and O'Connor challenges Republicans to offer a health care agenda beyond blaming Obamacare.

Money and daily life

Regular gasoline averaged $4.10 a gallon on Thursday, down 12 cents in a week, and diesel about $6.26, according to AAA. GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan said gas could fall below $4 within a week. Mortgage rates remain above 7%, according to Bloomberg. The Center Square reports Medicaid work requirements take effect in January, and CBS reports Affordable Care Act premiums are set to rise by double digits next year.

All sources: 15 articles from 10 outlets

Liberal (9)

Center (4)

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
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.

All terms →
Senate

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

All terms →
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.

All terms →
Congress

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

All terms →
Medicare

Federal health insurance for people 65 and older and for some people with disabilities.

All terms →
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.

All terms →
Tariff

A tax on imported goods, paid at the border by the importer, who usually passes some or all of it into prices. Governments use tariffs to protect their producers or to press the other side in a trade dispute.

All terms →
Medicaid

Public health coverage for people with low incomes, paid by the federal government and the states. The rules differ by state.

All terms →