Updated as of Nov. 10, 2026
The United States midterm elections took place on Nov. 3. Many voters went to the polls in hopes of changing the political turmoil that has increased over the last few years. The Democratic Party won big, taking back control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. What does this mean for America’s political climate, and how does it impact the 2028 Presidential Election?
A nationwide shift: What happened in Congress?
House of Representatives
Before the election, Republicans held a majority with 219 seats, while Democrats held 215. Following the election, Democrats now hold 252 seats, while Republicans hold only 165. This shows an increase of 41 seats flipped for Democrats. However, not all elections have been called.
17 congressional races still have not been called in multiple states, including California, North Carolina, Tennessee, Minnesota, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, Maine, and South Carolina. Across these 18 elections, Democrats lead nine, and Republicans lead the remaining nine.
NBC News Networks predicts that Democrats will hold 259 seats while Republicans will hold 176, leaving the Democrats with an 83-seat majority.
The Senate
Before the election, Republicans held the Senate majority. During the election, 35 Senate seats were up for election. Before the election, out of these 35 seats, Republicans held 22, and Democrats held 13. Now, following the election, Democrats hold 20, Republicans hold 13, and two states are still uncalled for: Mississippi and Alaska.
Now the Democrats hold 52 seats officially in the Senate, giving them the majority. Independents hold two seats, and Republicans hold 44. Democrats gained seven seats, flipping North Carolina, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, South Carolina, and Maine. The remaining two uncalled elections are Mississippi and Alaska, both with Democrats leading.
The states that changed the election
While the national results tell one story, individual state races reveal how Democrats managed to build their congressional majority. Several states that were once difficult for Democrats to win helped them flip the House.
Texas: One of the most popular and highly publicized elections was the Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton. The Republican Party has controlled Texas for decades. Talarico is the first Democratic senator elected since 1993. This historical win was a huge upset for the Democratic Party.
South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews flipped South Carolina by defeating Republican incumbent Darline Graham, the sister of former Senator Lindsay Graham. This marks the first time since 1998 that a Democrat is the elected Senator. The result added another unexpected seat to the Democratic majority.
Kansas: Democrat Adam Hamilton flipped the Senate seat, defeating Republican incumbent Roger Marshall. Hamilton, a longtime pastor, is the first Democrat since 1932 to capture a Senate seat for Kansas.
North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper beat Michael Whatley to win the Senate race, flipping a Republican-held seat and giving Democrats an important victory in a competitive Southern state. Roy Cooper served as the governor of North Carolina from 2017-2025 before deciding to run for Senate. Republican nominee Whatley was a former Republican National Committee chair who President Trump picked to replace retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.
Iowa: Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson, flipping the seat in favor of the Democrats. Turek will join Iowa’s senior senator, Chuck Grassley, who is a Republican. Turek was born with spineabifida and was the first permanently disabled member of the Iowa legislature when he was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2022.
Ohio: Ohio voters returned Sherrod Brown to the Senate by defeating Republican incumbent Jon Husted. Brown previously served three terms in the U.S. Senate before losing his seat to Bernie Moreno in 2024. Husted was previously appointed to the Senate by Governor Mike DeWine in 2023.
Maine: Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican incumbent Susan M. Collins, flipping another Republican-held seat. Collins was previously the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate.
Together, these victories demonstrate that the Democratic gains were not limited to traditionally blue states. The party made significant inroads in areas where Republicans had previously maintained strong electoral support.
Key Governor Elections
Most of the attention in this election has focused on Congress, but there is a lot to be said about many of the newly elected governors and their contribution to the “blue wave.” 36 states held governor elections, with Democrats winning in several traditionally Republican states. Notable governor elections included Texas, Georgia, Iowa, and Ohio.
Texas: Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican incumbent Greg Abbott. Hinojosa made history as the first Latina elected governor of Texas and the first Democrat to hold the office since the 1990s. Her campaign focused on affordability, public education, government accountability, and opposition to energy-intensive data centers. Texas has been a longtime Republican stronghold in recent presidential and gubernatorial elections, making Hinojosa’s victory particularly significant.
Georgia: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson to become Georgia’s next governor. Lance-Bottoms’ victory makes her the first Black woman elected governor in American history, and the first woman elected governor of Georgia. Georgia has become an important battleground in recent presidential elections, and this Democratic victory adds another level to the state’s changing political scene.
Iowa: Democrat Rob Sand defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn in Iowa’s first open gubernatorial election since 2006. Sand, who previously served as Iowa’s state auditor, will replace Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who did not seek reelection. His campaign focused on affordability, education, government accountability, and Iowa’s high cancer rates.
Ohio: Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio’s gubernatorial election, flipping the governor’s office from Republican to Democratic control. Acton, who previously served as Ohio’s health director, campaigned in a state that has increasingly supported Republican candidates in recent presidential elections. Her victory is significant because Ohio has been an important state for both parties in presidential elections, and the result gives Democrats another opportunity to rebuild their statewide political presence ahead of 2028.
Impact on Congress
What does this mean for the House?
With control of the chamber, Democrats will determine committee leadership, establish the legislative agenda that better fits with the party’s values, and gain greater authority to investigate the executive branch. House Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, have already signaled an emphasis on affordability, government accountability, and oversight of the Trump administration.
Republicans, meanwhile, will move into the minority and lose their ability to advance legislation through the chamber on their own.
Although Democrats now control the House, passing legislation will still require cooperation with the Senate and, in most cases, the president’s signature. Just because the Democrats hold the majority does not mean it will be easy for them to pass their legislation. Passing legislation will be relatively simple, considering Democrats hold 83 more seats in the House; however, because President Trump must sign off on most legislation, this could be a major challenge for them.
What changes in the Senate?
Democratic control gives the party leadership over Senate committees and increased influence over judicial and executive branch nominations. This is particularly important because senators vote on presidential appointments, including federal judges and other appointed cabinet officials. The Democrats will also be able to appoint a new chair for the Education and the Workforce Committee.
Democratic majority could also create additional obstacles for Trump’s legislative priorities, forcing the administration to negotiate with opposition lawmakers rather as opposed to relying solely on Republican support. However, with only 54 current seats and 56 potential seats, that is still not close to the 60-seat vote normally needed to pass bills in the Senate.
The road to 2028: How will the midterms impact the presidential election?
Although the 2026 midterms were focused on congressional and state-level elections, their results may have major effects for the 2028 presidential election. With Democrats gaining control of both chambers of Congress and several governorships, both parties will have to reconsider their political strategies heading into the next presidential election.
However, midterm results do not automatically correlate with presidential election results. Typically, presidential elections bring out more voters, which could skew the votes in battleground states. States that moved toward Democrats in 2026 could be competitive in 2028, depending on whether Republicans remain in the White House.
Ultimately, the 2026 midterms allowed Democrats to increase their political influence as the 2028 election season approaches. The question now is whether Democrats can maintain the support that helped them win in 2026 across the country, and whether Republicans can rebuild voters’ confidence in their legislation before voters return to the polls in 2028.