Democrats Win Control Of Congress

What happened

Updated 1:28am ET

Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, ending Republicans’ control of Congress.
Democrats secured at least 218 House seats and flipped Republican-held Senate seats in states including Texas, Kansas, Iowa and South Carolina.
Exit polling found that 62% of voters blamed President Donald Trump’s policies for higher prices, while 71% wanted Congress to do more to check him.
Trump congratulated Democrats and said he would accept the results and work with them, while stressing his power to veto legislation.
Democrats take over in January with power to block Trump’s agenda and investigate his administration, though their final seat totals remain unsettled.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets framed the Democratic sweep as a rejection of Trump and a restoration of congressional checks on his power. The New York Times called it a “midterm thrashing” that secured a platform to counter him; HuffPost emphasized that his congressional “free pass” would end in January.

How the right told it

Right-leaning outlets framed the results as a sweeping Republican defeat that would constrain Trump’s presidency. Fox News called the Senate result a “spectacular drubbing,” while the New York Post described a “blue tsunami.” Breitbart highlighted Democrats’ new power to block legislation, investigate the administration and thwart appointments.