Democrats Take Full Control of U.S. Congress in 2026 Midterms

UPDATE - follow-up to U.S. Midterm results: Senate, House and Governor shifts before and after: Democrats won total control of the U.S. Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections by securing the 218 seats needed to lead the House and passing the majority mark in the Senate. This major shift creates a divided government under President Donald Trump just two years after voters put him in office, driven by public worry over high living costs and foreign policy choices regarding the war with Iran.

Senate and House Results

In the 100-seat upper chamber, the Democratic Caucus reached 54 seats while the Republican Caucus held 44 seats as vote counting continued. Major wins included James Talarico taking a Senate seat in Texas, Kansas picking its first Democratic Senator since the Great Depression, and Democrat Annie Andrews defeating Donald Trump's chosen candidate Darline Graham in South Carolina. For the lower chamber, Democrats won 228 seats to easily clear the 218-seat mark, while Republicans secured 139 seats with tallies still being finalized. This stands in stark contrast to the 2022 midterms, where Democrats kept the Senate at 50 seats but Republicans narrowly took the House with 222 seats.

Governor Races

Democrats also secured a majority of state governorships across the country for the first time in 16 years. The new tally shows 28 Democratic Governors—including 22 election wins—against 20 Republican Governors with 12 wins. Key wins came as Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio, Rob Sand in Iowa, and Gina Hinojosa in Texas won races that flipped seats previously held by the GOP.

Context

Midterm elections take place midway through a U.S. President's four-year term and often act as a public check on the ruling administration's policies. These nationwide shifts show how quickly voter mood can change, turning prior party strongholds into competitive battlegrounds in just a few years.