Democrats Make History, Win Control of Both Houses of Congress in Sweeping Rebuke to Trump

Democrats made history on Tuesday by winning control of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections, delivering a stunning rebuke to President Donald Trump and ending Republican dominance of Congress for the remainder of his term.

Trump’s poor approval ratings, voter frustration over rising prices and opposition to the unpopular war in Iran helped Democrats secure decisive victories in traditionally Republican strongholds, including Texas, South Carolina, Kansas and Iowa. With control of both chambers, Democrats will now have considerable power to challenge the President’s domestic and foreign policy agenda.

According to NBC News estimates, Democrats were on course to win 255 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives, gaining more than 40 seats and recording their strongest performance in nearly two decades. The victory also puts Representative Hakeem Jeffries in line to become the next Speaker of the House.

Democrats also captured control of the Senate, scoring victories in states that had not elected Democratic candidates to statewide office in decades. In Texas, 37-year-old political phenomenon James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1988.

In South Carolina, Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham for the seat held by the late Lindsey Graham for more than two decades. Former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper won the state’s open Senate seat, while Sherrod Brown defeated Senator Jon Husted in Ohio. Adam Hamilton also unseated Republican Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas.

The scale of Republican losses stunned many observers on Tuesday night. In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Governor Greg Abbott, becoming the first Democrat to win the governorship since 1994 and the state’s first Latina governor. Hamilton’s victory in Kansas also marked a historic breakthrough, making him the first Democrat to represent the state in the US Senate since 1932.

Trump sought to downplay the Republican defeat, claiming his party would have won had he personally been on the ballot. “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Control of both chambers gives Democrats significant leverage over the Trump administration. The House has the authority to approve government spending and launch investigations into the administration, while the Senate plays a crucial role in confirming presidential nominees, including Cabinet members, federal judges and ambassadors. Any legislation backed by the White House, including government funding measures, will now require Democratic support to pass.

Democrats have already identified several priorities for the new Congress, including scrutiny of the war in Iran, Trump’s global tariff policies and investigations into alleged conflicts of interest involving the Trump family’s business dealings.

The election outcome will also be closely watched in New Delhi. Several Democrats expected to head key congressional committees, including Gregory Meeks, who is in line to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, have traditionally supported stronger US-India ties and criticised the Trump administration’s handling of relations with India. A Democratic-controlled House is also expected to examine Pakistan’s dealings with businesses linked to Trump’s family and associates.

Beyond its immediate impact on Washington, the midterm verdict is likely to influence the political landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential election. The Republican defeat could intensify debate within the party over its direction in a post-Trump era.

For Democrats, the strong electoral performance is expected to strengthen the prospects of potential presidential contenders, including former vice-president Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as they position themselves for the party’s 2028 nomination.