Democrats win both chambers of Congress as Iran war fuels Republican midterm losses

Democrats take both chambers

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections held on Tuesday, 3 November, leaving Republicans with the presidency and the opposition with Congress. The vote took place against the backdrop of the war with Iran, which began in February, rising living costs and turbulent energy markets. As of midnight on Wednesday, 4 November, Washington time, the Senate stood at 54 Democratic seats and 44 Republican seats, with Alaska and Mississippi still to be assigned. Democrats flipped seven Senate seats from Republicans without losing one of their own, winning in both Carolinas, Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and Texas.

Democrats54

Republicans44

Democrats

54 seats

Republicans

44 seats

Data from the article text

In the House, the same count gave Democrats 240 seats and Republicans 147, with about fifty seats still to be decided. At that point Democrats had captured 30 seats and Republicans had lost 30, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. Fanpage reported that the opposition also won in traditionally conservative states such as Texas, Iowa and Kansas, where Trump had won in 2024.

Democrats240

Republicans147

Democrats

240 seats

Republicans

147 seats

Data from the article text

Trump and the war narrative

According to the Associated Press, Trump acknowledged that the conflict in Iran had an impact on the election result, but said it was something he had to do. Vance said on Wednesday that the reason Republicans lost was the war, a statement that made the rift inside the administration public. Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that Republican candidates lost in Michigan, Ohio and Georgia, and that Republicans lost a House seat in Indiana that they had held for decades. Andrew Spannaus, a US political analyst who spoke to Adnkronos, placed the main blame on the president.

“The main blame lies with Donald Trump and the choices he made.”

Spannaus argued that the war pushed up oil prices, and with them petrol and diesel, and that Republicans in Congress failed to push back against Trump, leaving local candidates to bear the cost of an unpopular administration.

Pressure on Hegseth

Trump has publicly ruled out a cabinet reshuffle, and he told ABC News that he does not intend to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. CNN reported that many Republican lawmakers hold Hegseth responsible for persuading Trump to attack Iran without an exit strategy. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky said he will try to force a House vote to open impeachment proceedings against Hegseth when the House returns in the week of 9 November. Inside the Pentagon, the Washington Post described open infighting, and some officials in the president's circle reportedly want Trump to replace General Dan Caine or Admiral Brad Cooper as well.

La Stampa reported that a Republican source had named three possible successors for Hegseth, Dan Driscoll, DeSantis and Mike Pompeo, although these names had circulated before the vote. Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that Democrats plan to investigate Hegseth and FBI director Cash Patel once the new Congress convenes on 6 January.

Israel and the wider Middle East

Vance published a long post listing four priorities for winning back lost voters: ending the war, focusing on the cost of living and inflation, putting America first, and changing the relationship with Israel. La Stampa reported that the fourth point worries Jerusalem, since support for Israel is losing ground among Democrats and Republicans alike. Abdul El-Sayed, who won the Michigan Senate seat, is described as the first Muslim elected to the Senate and a sharp critic of Israel. Three New York House candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, were also elected, and all opposed US military aid to Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu has stayed silent, while former prime minister Yair Lapid said the Republican defeat rules out a unity government under Netanyahu. Il Sole 24 ORE argued that Tehran may find it advantageous to reach a deal before the new Congress takes office.