WASHINGTON – Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, ending Republican control of Washington and setting up a period of divided government when the new Congress convenes in January.
NPR’s analysis of Associated Press race calls found Democrats winning both chambers. The campaign was defined by voters’ frustration over the cost of living and perceived public corruption, NPR reported.
Republicans entered Election Day with narrow advantages in both chambers, according to NBC News: 53-47 in the Senate and 219-214 in the House.
Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, according to CNBC, citing AP projections. NPR’s count included a seventh flip in Maine, where CNBC reported that AP projected Democrat Troy Jackson would defeat Sen. Susan Collins.
In Texas, James Talarico defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton, giving Democrats their first statewide victory in the state since 1994, NBC News reported. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton defeated Sen. Roger Marshall and became the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the state since 1932, according to CNBC.
Annie Andrews won South Carolina’s Senate race over Republican Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, NBC News reported. Roy Cooper won North Carolina’s open seat over Republican Michael Whatley, and Sherrod Brown defeated Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio.
In Iowa, Josh Turek defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson for the seat vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst. Democrats also retained Georgia’s Senate seat, where Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Republican Mike Collins, AP reported.
In the House, NBC News projected that Democrats would win at least 258 seats, an estimate that could still rise or fall by a few. CNBC’s Election Desk projected at least 245. Both exceed the 218 needed for control, but the final size of the majority was still being determined.
NPR reported that Democrats flipped at least three Florida districts redrawn by the state’s Republican legislature. It also reported that they ousted four Republican incumbents in Pennsylvania’s competitive swing districts. NBC News said the new majority will take control of the House on January 3, the first time during Trump’s second term that he will not have full control of Congress.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is poised to become the first Black speaker of the House, said voters had made clear they had “had enough of the extremism, enough of the corruption,” NPR reported. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats had remade the Senate map and now had to deliver.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Senate Republicans would not stand idly by while the Democratic Party’s far-left wing tried to unwind their accomplishments, according to NPR. Trump told The New York Times he was willing to accept the results and expected to work with Democrats, CNBC reported. He blamed Republican losses on not being on the ballot.
Trump retains his veto power, and NPR reported that legislation passed by Congress will almost certainly need his support to become law. Democrats will still have to work with Republicans on must-pass legislation such as appropriations bills. A Democratic Senate would stop the steady confirmation of Trump’s judicial nominees and require some Democratic support for permanent Cabinet appointments, NPR reported.
NPR also reported that Democrats have signalled an ambitious investigations agenda in the House. Rep. Robert Garcia, who is expected to chair the Oversight Committee, wrote on X: “LAWYER UP.”
