Democrats have retaken control of the US Senate, delivering a decisive rebuke of Republican governance and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
The midterm elections that came to a close Tuesday channeled voters’ deep frustration with high prices, the war in Iran, and concerns about government corruption. The House remains too early to call, but Democrats have already flipped seven seats as they try to win the majority in that chamber as well.
Democratic control of the Senate will profoundly reshape Trump’s final two years in office and likely hamstring his ability to push his agenda, including his hopes for sustaining a conservative shift to the Supreme Court.
The Path to Victory
Democrats charted an extraordinary path to Senate victory through some of the most conservative states in the nation.
Josh Turek defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson in Iowa and Adam Hamilton ousted Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas as part of a cascade of stunning victories. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas, Annie Andrews upset Darline Graham in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown beat Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio, and Roy Cooper took an open North Carolina seat.
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia, defeating Rep. Mike Collins and denying Republicans a seat they had once seen as a top pickup opportunity. Rep. Chris Pappas won a Senate race in New Hampshire, defeating former Sen. John Sununu.
The House Battle
In the House, Democrats were marching toward control after defeating six Republicans in key battleground races. Republican Reps. Tom Kean of New Jersey and three Republicans in Pennsylvania — Ryan Mackenzie, Scott Perry, and Rob Bresnahan — lost reelection. Democrats also won open seats in North Carolina and Kentucky.
Democrats need a net gain of three seats for a House majority.
The Voter Mood
Voters were sour heading into Tuesday, with the midterm electorate deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and pessimistic about the future, according to The AP Voter Poll.
Most said they feel frustrated, with about three-quarters saying they feel “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the country’s current trajectory. The poll found that three-quarters of voters say the economy is “not so good” or “poor.” About 8 in 10 say inflation has caused a “severe” or “moderate” financial hardship for their households.
Government corruption was also a big issue. Roughly half cited it and the cost of living as “crucial” to their vote for Congress — higher than immigration enforcement policies, the war in Iran, and artificial intelligence data centers. About 6 in 10 voters said Trump prioritizes his own personal interests more than the country’s.
Trump’s Response
As Democrats racked up victories, Trump rushed to duck blame before polls on the West Coast had even closed. “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” he wrote on his social media site.
Trump has promised he would use his veto power to block Democrats’ agenda, forecasting the potential for gridlock in Washington.
The Bottom Line
Democrats have retaken control of the US Senate after winning key races in Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and other conservative-leaning states. The party is also marching toward control of the House. Voters cited frustration with the economy, inflation, and government corruption as their top concerns. Trump has vowed to use his veto power to block Democratic legislation, setting up two years of potential gridlock.
