Europe·since 1 Nov·12 entries
The 2026 US midterm elections
Americans voted on 3 November 2026 for all 435 House seats and a third of the Senate; Democrats won both chambers, and Trump says he accepts the result while saying he was not on the ballot.
AI text how it is made
This week11 entries
State of playtoday 03:53
The Result
Pollar and Reuters report Democrats won the House and the Senate in the 3 November midterms. AP projects more than 218 House seats and at least 54 Senate seats. Hakeem Jeffries formally launched his bid to become the first Black speaker, though Republicans keep both majorities until the new Congress convenes on 3 January 2027.
Senate Flips
Republicans entered with a 53–47 edge. Reuters lists Democratic flips in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Kansas and Iowa. Alaska is unresolved: overseas ballots are accepted until 18 November before any ranked-choice tabulation, with Republican Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola the main contenders. The result could push the majority beyond 54.
Fallout and Markets
Trump says he will work with Democrats but denies responsibility, arguing he was not on the ballot, and threatens vetoes. Vance reportedly blames the Iran war. Global equities and Treasuries rose and the dollar eased on expectations of gridlock. Reuters says tariff changes are unlikely soon: a veto blocks repeal, and the Senate needs 60 votes for most bills.
The test is whether Democrats open probes and use agency funding talks for leverage after 3 January 2027.
What comes next
- in 13 daysAlaska deadline for overseas ballots before ranked-choice tabulation
- in 59 daysNew Congress is sworn in; Republicans keep majorities until then
Open questions
- Will remaining races such as Maine and Alaska be called and confirm the Democratic Senate majority?
- What legal consequences will follow from the Justice Department target letters in the Alaska probe?
Who is who8
Donald Trump US President
Says he accepts the midterm results and was not on the ballot, and acknowledges the Iran war partly weighed on Republican losses.
4 Nov
Mike Johnson US House Speaker
Told a Virginia rally on 2 November that polls miss Republican enthusiasm, before Democrats were projected to win the House.
4 Nov
Hakeem Jeffries House Democratic leader
Has formally launched his bid to become the first Black House speaker after Democrats were projected to win the House.
5 Nov
Jon Ossoff Democratic US Senator from Georgia
Projected by Decision Desk HQ to win re-election over Republican Mike Collins.
4 Nov
James Talarico Democratic Senate winner in Texas
Beat Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, flipping a seat in a state Republicans have held since the 1980s.
4 Nov
Roy Cooper Democratic Senate winner in North Carolina
Defeated Republican Michael Whatley, flipping a Republican-held North Carolina seat.
4 Nov
Marc Elias Democratic election lawyer
Named among about 20 Democrats told they are targets of a Justice Department criminal probe over the Alaska Senate candidate name.
4 Nov
People's Republic of China US rival government in Beijing
Calls the midterms an internal US matter and says it is ready to keep working with Washington.
4 Nov
Promises2
Donald Trumpopen
Trump will veto legislation from the Democratic Congress that he considers "insane".
4 Nov · during the next two years of divided government · pollar.news
Donald Trumpopen
The US will stop its roughly $4 billion annual aid to Israel under a deal with Netanyahu while Israel keeps buying American arms.
3 Nov · pollar.news
Chronicle12 entries since 1 Nov
2–8 November11 entries · 3 key
Hakeem Jeffries formally began his campaign for speaker, ABC News reported on 5 November, after Democrats were projected to win the House. Republicans keep control until the new Congress is sworn in on 3 January 2027.
Bitcoin dropped to a six-week low on 4 November after Democrats won both chambers of Congress, adding pressure to a crypto market already weakened by a $6.3bn Binance hack. European defence stocks also dipped.
Beijing said it is ready to keep working with Washington after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the 3 November midterms, describing the election as an internal US matter.
Trump said he accepts the midterm results after projections gave Democrats control of both chambers, and acknowledged that the war in Iran partly weighed on Republican losses, according to Pollar's reporting on 4 November.
Democrats won back the House and the Senate in the 3 November midterms, Pollar reported, with Trump-backed candidates losing in Texas, Ohio and South Carolina. Trump responded by saying he had not been on the ballot.
Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race, Pollar reported on 4 November. Texas has been a Republican stronghold since the 1980s, and the flip adds to Democratic Senate gains after North Carolina.
Decision Desk HQ and Bloomberg projected on 4 November that Democrats will take control of the House. Hakeem Jeffries would become the expected next speaker, giving Democrats the first congressional check on Trump's administration since his return to the White House.
Democrat Roy Cooper, the former governor, defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina, the AP reported on 4 November. The flip of a Republican-held seat moves Democrats closer to the net gain of four needed for a Senate majority.
Decision Desk HQ projected Democrat Jon Ossoff's re-election in Georgia over Trump-backed Republican Mike Collins, following the AP's call of Virginia for Mark Warner. The two early holds leave Democrats needing four net Senate gains, with no chamber yet called.
The Justice Department sent letters to about 20 Democrats, including election lawyer Marc Elias, naming them targets of a criminal probe into a Senate candidate who shares a name with Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, on the day votes were counted.
In a Fox News phone interview on election day, Trump said Washington will stop the roughly $4 billion annual aid under a deal with Benjamin Netanyahu, while Israel can keep buying American weapons.
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