Democrats win control of Congress in rebuke to Trump

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, making sweeping gains in traditionally Republican territory and delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump.

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, making sweeping gains in traditionally Republican territory and delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump.

The scale of the party’s victories exceeded most analysts’ expectations, with Democrats flipping Senate seats in several states that Trump won in the 2024 presidential election.

In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, giving the party its first Senate victory in the state in 38 years.

Democrat Annie Andrews also defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina, where Democrats had not won a Senate race since 1998. The result marked a major upset in a state that Trump carried by a wide margin in 2024.

In Ohio, former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown defeated Republican incumbent Jon Husted, while in Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton unseated Republican Senator Roger Marshall. Kansas last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 1932.

Democrats also defeated Trump’s endorsed candidate, Michael Whatley, in North Carolina, where former Democratic governor Roy Cooper won the Senate race.

The party’s victories give it control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, allowing it to block much of Trump’s legislative agenda and increase scrutiny of his administration. However, the president retains the power to veto legislation passed by Congress.

Democrats will also face pressure to address voters’ concerns about the cost of living rather than focus solely on opposing Trump.

The results reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the president and his policies. Exit polls showed that nearly two-thirds of voters blamed Trump for high prices, while about three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

Trump was elected in 2024 on a promise to bring down inflation. But voters said his policies, including tariffs on foreign goods and the war with Iran, had worsened their economic circumstances.

The elections were also a personal setback for Trump, whose efforts to help Republican candidates failed in several closely watched races. Some of the candidates he had backed faced difficulties despite receiving his support and campaigning help.

The exit polls suggested that the coalition of voters who helped Trump win in 2024 had weakened. Republicans lost support among several groups, including Black men, Latinos and younger voters.

During the closing weeks of the campaign, Trump and other Republicans sought to portray Democrats as dangerous radicals and communists who would damage the country if elected.

Trump repeatedly warned that a Democratic victory would turn the United States into “a communist country”. He also described Democratic leaders in several states as “crazed lunatics and radicals”.

The results suggested that Republicans had lost ground among Latino voters, a group whose increased support helped Trump win the 2024 election. The shift could have consequences for the party in states with large Hispanic populations, including California, Texas and Florida.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa won the governorship, while Democrat Xavier Becerra won in California, becoming the state’s first elected Latino governor.

In Florida, Democrat Pia Dandiya won the race for the 22nd Congressional District, defeating a Republican candidate in a district whose boundaries had recently been redrawn by Republican state lawmakers.