Democrats have taken control of both chambers of the United States Congress in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, dealing a major political setback to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.
The victory gives Democrats control of the House of Representatives and the Senate for the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency, setting the stage for increased scrutiny of his administration.
According to the BBC, Democrats had secured a majority in the House as of Wednesday, although vote counting was still ongoing in some states.
Figures available at the time of filing showed Democrats with 194 seats in the House against 115 for Republicans. In the Senate, Democrats had secured 52 seats, compared with 40 for the Republicans.
The Democratic Party also recorded major victories in several closely contested Senate races, flipping Republican-held seats in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio while retaining Democratic seats in Georgia and New Hampshire.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1988.
In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, becoming the first woman elected to the US Senate from the state and the first Democrat to win a Senate seat there in more than two decades.
Democrat Roy Cooper also defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina, while Sherrod Brown defeated Republican incumbent Jon Husted in Ohio.
The results represent a major reversal for Republicans, whose control of Congress had given Trump’s administration considerable legislative advantage.
The US midterm elections determine the composition of Congress, which comprises the 435-member House of Representatives and the 100-member Senate.
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were contested in the November 3 elections.
With Democrats now controlling both chambers, the party is expected to gain greater influence over congressional committees and investigations into the Trump administration.
The BBC reported that Democratic control of the House could significantly limit what Trump can achieve during the remaining two years of his presidency.
Democrats could also launch investigations into the President, members of his family and controversial policies and decisions taken by his administration.
Reacting to the Republican defeats, Trump sought to distance himself from the outcome, arguing that his absence from the ballot contributed to the party’s poor performance.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
However, in an interview with The New York Times published later, Trump said he was prepared to accept the results and work with Democrats.
“We’ll, you know, look forward to working with them. We’ll probably work something out,” he said.
The Associated Press reported that Trump had backed several Republican candidates who lost their races, including Paxton in Texas and Graham in South Carolina.
Midterm elections are traditionally viewed as a referendum on the sitting president’s performance, as voters determine whether the governing party retains control of Congress or loses ground to the opposition.
The Democratic victories mean Trump will face an opposition-controlled Congress during the final two years of his second term, raising the prospect of legislative confrontations and increased oversight of his administration.
