Democrats Flip Six House Seats in Midterm Vote
Voters in border states expressed frustration with trade policies with Canada, while costs for gas and groceries drove turnout in key districts.
By Samir Doyle ·
Midterm elections in the United States concluded on Tuesday with Democrats gaining ground in the House of Representatives. The party flipped six key seats and held several battleground districts, moving closer to the majority needed to control the chamber. Control of the Senate remained undecided late into the evening, with results in border states poised to determine the final balance of power.
President Donald Trump described the outcome as a referendum on his second term. Just before 11 p.m. Eastern Time, he posted on social media: “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” His approval ratings had dropped in recent polls, driven by rising prices for gas, diesel, and general inflation. The administration also faced scrutiny over its ongoing military conflict with Iran.
In Michigan, the race for the U.S. Senate between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers remained tight. El-Sayed faced a strategic challenge when Haley Stevens, his former primary opponent, endorsed Rogers on Sunday. This endorsement came after a late-stage party fracture that surprised local officials. Alan Latham, a 44-year-old attorney from White Lake, voted for El-Sayed because he wanted a candidate to unify the country over polarization.
At the same polling station, Mark Pospisil, 43, supported Rogers. Pospisil said he chose the Republican candidate because he would “honour and fear God and be best to implement good laws for our community.” Kristi Rogers, the candidate’s wife, addressed supporters in Detroit just before 10 p.m., urging them to “stick with us” and stating, “It’s going to be good.”
Trade tensions with Canada influenced voting patterns in border states. President Trump recently adjusted 50 percent tariffs on specific Canadian goods to ease pressure on industries in Maine. Susan Collins, the longtime Republican senator, faced a difficult contest in that state. Mary Monroe, a voter in Bangor, said she believed the United States should not be taken advantage of by its neighbors. Tyler Levesque, voting at the same location, argued that it was unfair for Mainers to suffer due to failed economic policy.
In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews won the Senate seat previously held by Lindsey Graham. This victory marked a defeat for Darline Graham Nordone, the president’s hand-picked candidate. Nordone faced criticism for a lack of experience and campaign errors. The result reflected a shift among independent voters who supported Trump in 2024 but felt disappointed by the administration's handling of the economy.
Dylan Raford, a 19-year-old business owner from South Carolina, said he felt betrayed by the president. He described himself as a free-market supporter who voted for Trump in the previous cycle. Raford said he was voting for a Democrat in this election to place restraints on the executive branch. He noted, “He made me a fool. He made all those people right.”
Democrats won the Senate race in North Carolina, with Roy Cooper taking the seat. In Georgia, incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff secured re-election. These wins added to the Democratic gains in the House, though the party still needed victories in states like Maine and Alaska to secure a Senate majority. The final counts in these states determined which party would hold the upper chamber.
