US Voters Decide Control of Congress in 2026 Midterms

The United States held midterm elections on November 3, 2026, to determine the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The contests served as a referendum on the second term of Donald Trump, whose approval ratings slumped to record lows between 32% and 41%. Voter dissatisfaction was primarily driven by high inflation, rising living costs, and the economic fallout from a military conflict with Iran launched in February 2026, which pushed gasoline prices above $4 per gallon.

Republicans entered the election with narrow majorities in both chambers, holding 218 House seats and 53 Senate seats. Democrats sought a net gain of three to four seats in each chamber to seize control. While polling and generic ballots suggested a Democratic advantage—with some forecasts predicting a blue wave in the House—Republicans leveraged a significant financial advantage. This included hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions from Elon Musk and the MAGA Inc. super PAC.

The campaign was marked by intense legal battles and administrative disputes. The Trump administration attempted to block thousands of mail-in ballots in California and challenged Senate results in Alaska, though many of these efforts were dismissed by courts. In the final days, Trump conducted a "Midterm Blitz" tour and threatened to veto all legislation if Democrats won. Conversely, Democrats campaigned on affordability and government accountability, with former President Barack Obama describing the election as a "circuit breaker" to rein in the administration.

Beyond Congress, voters decided 36 governorships and numerous statewide ballot measures. Results are expected to emerge incrementally, with final tallies potentially delayed by ranked-choice voting in Maine and Alaska and high volumes of mail-in ballots in California.