Election Report: Democrats Take Control of Congress in the 2026 Midterms
America’s 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, redrew the balance of power in Washington: Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, according to Associated Press race calls, ending unified Republican control and giving President Donald Trump a divided government for the final two years of his term.
In the Senate, where Republicans began the night with a 53-47 majority, Democrats flipped seven Republican-held seats – in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and Maine. With two races (Alaska and Mississippi) still too close to call as of Friday, Democrats are projected to hold 54 seats, including two independents who caucus with them, to Republicans’ 44.
In the House, all 435 seats were contested. Democrats passed the 218 seats needed for a majority on election night, and the latest counts put them at roughly 228 seats to about 139 for Republicans, with dozens of district races still being counted.
Democrats also gained ground in the states, picking up five governorships – Nevada, Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Georgia – and now hold 28 of the 50 governor’s offices.
What happens next: counting, certification and possible recounts in the closest races continue over the coming weeks. The new Congress convenes in January 2027, when control of spending bills, investigations and Senate confirmations shifts to the Democratic majorities.
Sources & further reading
Associated Press race calls and results reporting, November 4-6, 2026. Figures reflect called races at the time of writing and are not certified final counts.
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