Democrats secure major wins in their campaign to wrestle control of US Congress

Democrats in the US have been buoyed by major wins in elections, which will decide the balance of power in Washington and shape the last two years of Donald Trump’s presidency.

The midterms, which will determine which party controls Congress, are seen as a referendum on the controversial Republican leader, who earlier urged people to pretend he was on the ballot paper.

In a major blow to the Republicans, Democrat Annie Andrews beat Mr Trump’s hand-picked candidate Darline Graham to take the South Carolina Senate seat.

Georgia Democratic Jon Ossoff (Mike Stewart/AP)

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Ms Graham was the sister of the late US senator Lindsey Graham and was chosen by the president to fill his seat and contest it at the election.

The Democrats had not won a Senate seat in South Carolina in 28 years.

The Democrats also flipped the Senate seat in North Carolina from Republicans when governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, who was backed by Mr Trump.

Mr Cooper said: “Tonight, we showed the country that when everyday people come together, we can make change.”

He added: “I’m not going to Washington to be something; I’m going to Washington to do something.”

In the face of several losses, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!”

Donald Trump believes the results ‘are going to be better than you think’ for his party (Alex Brandon/AP)

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Potential 2028 presidential challenger Democrat US senator Jon Ossoff also won re-election in Georgia, which had been a top Republican target.

The 39-year-old has been a leading critic of the US president and his administration, raising his national profile.

Mr Ossoff told supporters: “In sweeping and decisive victories the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption, and incompetence of the failed lame duck president Donald J Trump.

“And if, at times these last two years, amidst the ceaseless onslaught of brutality and indecency, you doubted whether our republic would survive, let tonight’s results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon.”

On a state level, Republican Byron Donalds made history when he was voted Florida’s first black governor, while Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms will become the first black woman elected governor of Georgia.

The Democrats also retained New Hampshire, with Chris Pappas seeing off Republican John Sununu.

Mr Pappas will replace retiring senator Jeanne Shaheen, a three-term Democrat who ousted Mr Sununu in 2008.

He told supporters: “This has been a long campaign against the backdrop of chaos, corruption and costs coming out of Washington.

The Democrats had expected to benefit from voter discontent over the cost of living, tariffs and high energy prices fuelled by the Iran war, which Mr Trump launched with Israel earlier this year.

On a state level, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms made history as the first black woman to be elected governor of Georgia.

The president had held rallies in traditional Republican strongholds in a bid to shore up support and boost turnout, and promised every adult US citizen 5,000 dollars (£3,721 ) if his party kept control of both the House and Senate.

However, the Democrats have faced their own challenges during the campaign with internal divisions, underlined by a public fallout in the Michigan Senate race.

Democrats need a net gain of four seats in the 100-member Senate to win a majority, while in the 435-member House, they need three.

An election sign is displayed near the Milwaukee Public Market polling place to vote on midterm Election Day (Nam Y Huh/AP)

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A string of state governorships are also being contested, including in California, where the long-shot Republican candidate is Steve Hilton, a former top aide to David Cameron.

High turnout was expected in the hotly-contested congressional races, which are the most expensive in US history.

Despite predictions, Mr Trump said on Tuesday: “I think the results are going to be better than you think.”

Given his previous claims about voter fraud, the president may seek to dispute the outcome of some races that go against his party.

Were the Democrats to gain control of even one chamber, they would be able to frustrate Mr Trump’s time left in office and launch investigations into the conduct of his administration.

However, the president would still have executive authority in key areas, as well as veto power.