Democrats win control of the House and Senate in the 2026 midterms
Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, flipping seven Senate seats, according to race calls reported by The Associated Press, NPR and NBC News. The new Congress takes office in January.
The Senate: Democrats flipped Republican-held seats in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, NBC News and NPR reported. Ballotpedia said Democrats will have at least a 54-44 Senate majority, with results still coming in.
The House: NBC News projected Democrats will win at least 258 House seats, an estimate that could change by a few seats, well above the 218 needed for a majority. Ballotpedia counted 14 Republican House incumbents who lost re-election and no Democrats.
What it means: NPR said the results return Democrats to full control of Congress for the first time since 2023 and set up divided government for President Trump’s final two years, including likely congressional investigations. Some races are still being counted.