Democrats win control of both houses of Congress in US midterm elections

Democrats take both chambers

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections, ending the Republican majorities in both chambers that had let Donald Trump advance his agenda with limited resistance during the first half of his second term. As of 08:00 Greek time on Wednesday, 4 November, Democrats had 52 Senate seats against 40 for Republicans, a reversal of the 53-47 Republican edge going into the vote. An NBC News estimate projects about 244 Democratic House seats, well above the 218 needed for a majority. SKAI noted that, if confirmed, this would give Democrats their strongest House presence in almost two decades. From January, Democrats will be able to set the congressional agenda and place limits on the White House's moves.

Democrats52

Republicans40

Democrats

52 seats

Republicans

40 seats

Data from the article text

Losses reach Republican strongholds

The swing extended beyond races that had been seen as close. Democrat James Talarico won in Texas, a result Deutsche Welle described as coming after almost four decades. Republicans also suffered humbling defeats in Kansas and Ohio, and lost in South Carolina, a traditional Republican stronghold. In South Carolina, Anne Andrews became the first Democrat elected as a state senator there since 1998. Democrats also overturned a number of Senate seats previously held by Republicans.

Trump's reaction

Trump told Fox News by phone, speaking with Brett Baier, that he was somewhat surprised and had thought Republicans would do better. He said Democrats had done a good job and that he would work with them on a number of issues, but ruled out cabinet changes because of the defeat. On Truth Social he wrote that he would become a political commentator and attacked Texas governor Greg Abbott, saying Abbott would not have lost had he not become a Republican in name only in his final six months. He also posted an image of a red cap reading VETO, which suggested he could use his veto against bills from the new Democratic Congress. He faulted Fox News for keeping former New York mayor Bill de Blasio on its panel. In a Wall Street Journal phone interview he said the Iran war was part of the explanation, but that rising oil prices bore more of the blame, and that he had done the right thing and would do it again. He told the New York Times he was fully prepared to accept the results, while a White House official told ABC he remained undaunted.

What the split means for the final two years

Democrats will have the final say on appointments, from cabinet posts and senior federal agency jobs to federal judges and the Supreme Court. NEWS 24/7 noted that all recent Supreme Court justices Trump nominated were confirmed by a Senate of the same partisan leaning. The last time an opposition-controlled Senate approved a Supreme Court justice was 1991, when a Democratic-led Senate confirmed Clarence Thomas under George H.W. Bush. In 2016, Republicans refused to begin hearings on Barack Obama's nominee Merrick Garland, citing the upcoming presidential election. The last time Democrats won the House during Trump's first term, they opened extensive investigations that led to his impeachment. The White House will now need to find common ground with Democratic senators to avoid new budget deadlocks and pass key bills.

Voters point to living costs and the Iran war

Exit polls of 75,000 respondents, cited by Deutsche Welle, found 70% dissatisfied with the president. Deutsche Welle also reported that Americans want Congress to exercise greater control over the president's decisions. NEWS 24/7 commentary linked the result to rising living costs and the war with Iran, arguing that two core Trump commitments had not been kept. It also described petrol prices as one of the most important issues for the average American.