Democrats Seize Control of House and Senate in Midterm Upset
With over 124 million votes cast, Democrats flipped key red state seats, setting up a new check on the Trump administration starting in January.
By Samir Doyle ·
Democrats captured both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, a result that shifts legislative power away from the White House. The party gained control of the Senate by flipping seven seats and took the House by winning dozens of districts previously held by Republicans.
The victory extended into traditional Republican strongholds. Democrats claimed surprising wins in Texas and South Carolina, while races in Mississippi and Alaska remained too close to call as of Wednesday morning. More than 124 million ballots were cast, a figure that surpasses the previous midterm record of nearly 119 million set in 2018, according to the University of Florida Election Lab.
President Trump responded to the results with mixed signals. In an election-night interview with Fox News, he congratulated Democrats for their hard work. However, in a separate phone interview with Politico, he argued that Republicans struggled to turn out their base because he was not on the ballot. The president also posted an image of a red hat with the word “VETO” on it, signaling his intent to reject legislation from the new Congress.
Despite the losses for his party, Trump expressed a willingness to negotiate. He indicated he could work with the new Democratic leadership, leaving room for potential agreements even as partisan battles are expected to begin.
Democrats must now select new leadership to head their majorities. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York currently lead their respective parties. Both require support from their colleagues to retain those positions. If Jeffries wins a vote of the full House when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, he would become the first Black speaker in U.S. history.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Jeffries for the role. She praised his leadership following the Democratic victory. The new leadership structure will define the party’s strategy as it prepares to investigate the administration and challenge the president’s legislative agenda.
