US midterms: Democrats retake House, gain Senate seats

President of the United States, Donald Trump. Photo: The White House

Democrats are projected to take control of the United States House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, dealing a major setback to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, while recording significant victories in several closely contested Senate races.

The BBC reported on Wednesday that Democrats had secured a majority in the House, where all 435 seats were contested, although vote counting was continuing across several states.

The party also made major gains in the Senate, winning Republican-held seats in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio, while retaining Democratic seats in Georgia and New Hampshire.

Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, 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 20 years.

Democrat Roy Cooper also defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina, while Sherrod Brown won the Ohio Senate race against Republican incumbent Jon Husted.

The victories have put Republican control of the Senate under serious pressure, although the final balance of power in the chamber remained unresolved in the latest reports.

The midterm elections, held on Tuesday, November 3, determine the composition of Congress, which comprises the House of Representatives and the Senate. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were contested.

The results are significant for Trump because a Democratic-controlled House could intensify congressional scrutiny of his administration, including investigations into its policies and decisions.

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BBC reports that the Democratic victory in the House would have a major impact on what Trump could achieve during the remaining two years of his presidency.

BBC noted that Democrats could launch investigations into the president and his family, as well as controversial administration decisions.

Reacting to the early results, Trump sought to distance himself from the Republican losses, saying he was not on the ballot.

“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 willing to accept the election 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.

The midterm elections are traditionally seen as a referendum on the sitting president’s performance, with the results determining whether the governing party retains control of Congress or faces an opposition majority.