Trump calls US midterm elections rigged as Democrats win at least 250 House seats

A pledge, then a reversal

Donald Trump said on Tuesday evening, 3 November, that he would accept the results of the midterm elections. On Thursday, 5 November, he returned to claims of electoral fraud by Democrats, which the reporting describes as unfounded. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said US elections were rigged and gave no evidence to support the claim. The reporting frames these comments as a reversal of his Tuesday pledge. That morning he had posted on Truth Social about the Alaska Senate count, arguing that votes cast for a candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, should be credited to the incumbent and that the race was over.

Alaska and Mississippi still open

With about 75% of Alaska ballots counted, Democrat Mary Peltola led the Republican senator by roughly 600 votes. The namesake candidate, also named Dan Sullivan, had 3,600 votes, or 1.7% of the total. Alaska is a traditionally conservative state, which makes the uncertain outcome of its Senate race notable. The New York Times reported that the namesake's candidacy was a manoeuvre to dilute the incumbent's vote, but Democrats denied having been behind it.

Mary Peltola lead over Dan Sullivan (approx.)600

Namesake Dan Sullivan3,600

Mary Peltola lead over Dan Sullivan (approx.)

600 votes

Namesake Dan Sullivan

3600 votes

Data from the article text

In Mississippi, with 96% of ballots counted, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes in a state considered safe for the right. Both counts were still unfinished on Thursday, so the final Senate tallies could change.

Democratic gains in Congress

Democrats have flipped seven Senate seats that Republicans previously held and are assured of at least 54 of the 100 seats. CNN and Fox News projected on Thursday that Democrats will win at least 250 House seats, a number that could rise as counting continues in about twenty districts. They are assured of at least 65 more House seats than Republicans. La Libre said the Democratic win was already significant both in Washington and in state parliaments. Inflation, worsened by the war in Iran, weighed on the vote, and Republicans also lost ground in state legislatures. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the defeat as close to extinction for Republicans in many parts of the country, a scale he said had not been seen in a century.

What the Democratic majorities mean

From 3 January, the Democratic majority in the Senate will be able to block Trump's federal nominations. In the House, Hakeem Jeffries is likely to be elected speaker, which would make him the first Black person to hold the post. In a letter to fellow Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday, 4 November, Jeffries made lowering the cost of living his first priority. He also said Democrats would strengthen parliamentary oversight of the executive and would hold what he called crooks to account.