Democrats win control of Congress with major victories in traditionally Republican states
Democrats are celebrating sweeping victories in the 2026 midterm elections, gaining control of both chambers of Congress after winning several closely watched races in traditionally Republican states, according to NBC News projections.
(NBC)- Democrats are celebrating sweeping victories in the 2026 midterm elections, gaining control of both chambers of Congress after winning several closely watched races in traditionally Republican states, according to NBC News projections.
The victories mark a major shift in Washington, with Democratic candidates capitalizing on voter concerns about the economy and dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico won a historic Senate victory, becoming the first Democrat elected to represent the state in the U.S. Senate in nearly 40 years.
“We just took back Texas!” Talarico told supporters.
In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton won his Senate race after campaigning on economic concerns affecting working families.
“There’s a whole lot of people in Kansas. Hundreds of thousands of people are living paycheck to paycheck, and this is not okay,” Hamilton said.
South Carolina also delivered a major Democratic victory, with political newcomer Annie Andrews defeating Republican Darline Graham, a candidate endorsed by Trump.
“I owe no one in Washington anything. I owe South Carolina everything, and that’s exactly who I’m going to answer to,” Andrews said.
In Michigan, NBC News projects Democrat Abdul El-Sayed will become the nation’s first Muslim U.S. senator following a contentious campaign. The election results come after Trump spent weeks campaigning for Republican candidates, repeatedly urging voters to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency.
Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff characterized the results as a rejection of Trump’s leadership.
“The American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption, and incompetence of the failed lame duck president Donald J. Trump,” Ossoff said.
Trump acknowledged the unexpected Republican losses during late-night interviews.
“Well, I’m a little bit surprised. I thought they’d do better,” the president said.
Despite the results, Trump said he would be willing to negotiate with Democrats, while warning that he would veto legislation he opposes.
“They’ll send over things that are insane, and I’ll veto them,” Trump said. “And after a couple of months of vetoes, they’ll call and they’ll say, ‘How do we get this stuff done?’ And we’ll work together.”
The president also shared an image on social media showing a red hat with the word “VETO” printed on it.
With Democrats preparing to control both the House and Senate, the election results could significantly reshape the final two years of Trump’s presidency, particularly on federal spending, legislation and congressional oversight.
