Democrats Win Control of US Senate and House in 2026

Democrats have won control of both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, reclaiming full congressional power after flipping Republican-held seats in Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Maine and other states, the Associated Press reported.

The AP called the Senate majority for Democrats late Tuesday. The House majority was confirmed early Wednesday, as of 2:40 a.m. Eastern Time on November 4, 2026, with counting still ongoing in several uncalled races.

Seven Senate Seats Flipped to Democratic Column

Going into the election, Democrats needed a net gain of four Senate seats to take the chamber. They ultimately flipped seven Republican-held seats, according to AP results.

Josh Turek defeated Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa. Adam Hamilton unseated Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas, taking what Axios described as the nation's longest-held Republican Senate seat. James Talarico beat Ken Paxton in Texas, and Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham in South Carolina.

Former Senator Sherrod Brown ousted Senator Jon Husted in Ohio. Former Governor Roy Cooper won an open seat in North Carolina. In Maine, Senator Susan Collins conceded to Troy Jackson.

Democrats also held key existing seats. Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia over Republican Representative Mike Collins. Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's open Senate seat.

Two Senate Races Still Uncalled

Not all contests were resolved by early Wednesday. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom and Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith were tied at 48.9 percent each with approximately 97 percent of the expected vote counted, according to NBC News.

NBC News also listed Alaska as uncalled, with Republican Senator Dan Sullivan holding a slight lead over Democrat Mary Peltola.

Democrats Projected to Win Roughly 255 House Seats

In the House, Republicans held 218 seats going into the election against the Democrats' 214, meaning Democrats needed a net pickup of three seats to claim the majority. NBC News projected Democrats would finish with approximately 255 House seats, well above the 218-seat threshold, though the figure could shift by a few seats as counting continues.

The party's first House flip of the night came in North Carolina's 11th District, where Democrat Jamie Ager defeated Republican Jennifer Capps Balkcom. The final seat count was still being tallied as of the AP's reporting cutoff.

Democratic Governors Win in Texas, Iowa and Ohio

Democrats also gained governorships in several Republican-held states. Gina Hinojosa defeated Governor Greg Abbott in Texas, becoming the state's first Democratic governor in 35 years, according to The Washington Post.

Democrats Rob Sand in Iowa and Amy Acton in Ohio also won their gubernatorial races. Republicans retained the governorships of Florida, where Byron Donalds won, as well as Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama and New Hampshire, where Governor Kelly Ayotte was reelected.

House Majority Gives Democrats Subpoena and Oversight Powers

Control of the House gives Democrats authority over committees, subpoena power and the ability to open oversight investigations into the Trump administration, NBC News reported.

Time noted that winning both chambers in a single midterm election has occurred only a handful of times since World War II.

AP Cites Voter Frustration Over Prices, Iran War and Corruption Concerns

AP reported that the results reflected voter frustration over high prices, the ongoing war in Iran and concerns about government corruption.

In a Fox News interview, President Trump congratulated Democrats on their wins but said he did not view the results as a rebuke of his presidency.

Photo credit: Photo from Associated Press