Democrats Win Control of Congress in Historic 2026 Midterms

The Democratic Party won control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, serving as the first nationwide referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term. Voters cited the cost of living, corruption in the Trump administration, and the war in Iran as primary drivers for the shift in power.

The elections produced several historic milestones. Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history in Georgia, while Byron Donalds became Florida's first Black governor and the first Black Republican to hold a governorship. In the Senate, Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim American elected to the chamber, and Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.

Democratic gains extended to several high-profile upsets. In Texas, James Talarico won a Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Greg Abbott for governor. In Maine, Troy Jackson defeated five-term incumbent Senator Susan Collins. Other notable Democratic victories occurred in Ohio, where Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, and in Iowa, where Rob Sand won the governorship and Joshua Turek won a Senate seat.

In the House, the new class includes Melat Kiros, the first Gen Z woman in Congress and the first Black woman elected from Colorado. Other historic House wins include Adam Hamawy, New Jersey's first Muslim member of Congress, and Claire Valdez, the first known Indigenous woman elected to Congress from New York. In the Northeast, incumbents like Governor Kathleen Hochul of New York and Governor Phil Scott of Vermont secured re-election.