Democrats Take Control of US House and Senate in Major 2026 Midterm Election Upset

Publication date: November 6, 2026
Latest update: November 7, 2026
Location: Washington, DC, United States
Category: U.S. Politics | Elections | Congress
Source: CNN, Associated Press and Reuters
Original CNN live coverage: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/11/06/politics/live-news/midterm-election-congress

Democrats Win Control of Both Chambers

Democrats have won control of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a major political setback to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

The results mark a significant change in the balance of power in Washington. Democrats are expected to take control of Congress when the new legislative session begins in January 2027.

All 435 seats in the House were contested, while approximately one-third of the Senate’s 100 seats were on the ballot.

Senate Victories Reshape Washington

Democrats made gains in several states that have traditionally been competitive or Republican-leaning.

Their victories included important Senate contests in states such as Texas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina, according to election reporting.

However, not every Senate race had been resolved by November 7. Mississippi and Alaska remained among the closely watched contests, with outstanding ballots and counting still affecting the final totals.

Mississippi Senate Race Remains Under Dispute

One of the most closely watched unresolved races was in Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom narrowly led Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.

The campaigns disagreed over how election officials should handle provisional, also known as affidavit, ballots.

Hyde-Smith’s legal representatives asked county election officials to preserve and separate those ballots. Colom’s campaign argued that the request could lead to inconsistent treatment and called for normal election procedures to be followed.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said approximately 12,000 to 20,000 affidavit ballots remained to be counted. The state’s deadline for county certification was November 13.

What the Results Mean for President Trump

The change in congressional control will make it more difficult for Trump to advance his legislative agenda without negotiating with Democrats.

A Democratic-controlled Congress can hold hearings, conduct investigations, influence federal spending decisions and block or revise legislation.

Trump has rejected the idea that the results represent a personal defeat, while Republican leaders have indicated they intend to oppose Democratic legislative priorities.

The election also creates a new political environment for the final years of Trump’s presidency.

Voters Focused on Economic and National Issues

Economic concerns, including inflation and the cost of living, were important issues during the midterm campaigns.

Other major topics included healthcare, immigration, government accountability and the war involving Iran.

Election reporting and polling analyses also pointed to changes in support among younger and Latino voters, groups that played an important role in several competitive races.

Attention Turns to the Next Congress

The newly elected members will begin taking office in January 2027. Democrats will then face the challenge of translating their election victories into legislative action.

Republicans will have to determine how to respond to losing control of both chambers while Trump remains in the White House.

Although some individual races still require final counting and certification, the broader result has already reshaped the political landscape in Washington.

Source note: This article summarizes CNN’s November 6 live election coverage and additional reporting from the Associated Press and Reuters. Some individual Senate contests remained unresolved as of November 7, 2026. National control of the House and Senate should be distinguished from the final certification of every race.