Democrats have captured control of both the US Senate and House of Representatives in the midterm elections, delivering a sweeping electoral rebuke to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.
According to Reuters, the Democratic victories extended into traditionally Republican strongholds, including Texas, South Carolina, Iowa and Ohio, as voters expressed frustration over the economy, rising living costs and Trump's decision to launch a war against Iran in February, which pushed up fuel prices.
In the Senate, Democrats flipped six Republican-held seats, securing a majority even if they failed to retain some of their own seats in competitive states such as Michigan and Minnesota.
In Kansas, Adam Hamilton, a megachurch pastor, became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since the Great Depression, nearly a century ago. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown reclaimed a seat previously held by Vice President JD Vance, defeating Republican Jon Husted.
Texas state Representative James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, while paediatrician Annie Andrews defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina. Both states had voted decisively for Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Democrats also made significant gains in the House of Representatives, flipping at least eight Republican-held seats in states including Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina.
The party's gains extended to gubernatorial races, with Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeating three-term Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in Texas. Democrats also captured governorships in Iowa and Ohio.
Trump had campaigned extensively for Republican candidates, holding more than two dozen rallies since the beginning of October, mostly in states he had comfortably won in 2024. He had repeatedly urged supporters to "pretend I'm on the ballot" to mobilise his base.
However, as the scale of Republican losses became apparent on Tuesday night, Trump sought to dismiss the outcome, writing on social media: "I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!"
The results reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the president's performance. According to exit polls conducted by SSRS for a consortium of US media organisations, half of voters viewed the midterm elections as an opportunity to rebuke Trump, while three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Around 70 per cent wanted Congress to provide stronger checks and balances on the president.
The Republican losses also came amid concerns over Trump's record-low approval ratings, his tariff policies and his handling of immigration and the cost of living. Democratic candidates had sought to make affordability a central campaign issue, capitalising on voter concerns over rising household expenses.
The Democratic takeover of Congress is expected to significantly constrain Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency. It will also give the opposition greater powers to investigate his administration, summon officials for congressional hearings and scrutinise government policies.
A Democratic-controlled Senate will also be able to block presidential appointments, including potential Supreme Court nominations, while control of the House will give the party greater influence over legislation, federal spending and investigations into the administration.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats were contested in the midterm elections.
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