Democrats win widely in the 2026 US midterm elections

The United States held its midterm elections on 3 November 2026, halfway through President Donald Trump's second term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate were on the ballot, along with many state offices.

Democrats had a strong night. Early projections from US media indicated they would win a majority in the House, after flipping dozens of districts. They also made gains in the Senate, with reports of wins in traditionally Republican states such as Texas, where Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton. Some close races were still being counted, and final totals were not yet confirmed.

The result mattered because it ended unified Republican control of Congress and gave Democrats a base to challenge the White House on spending, oversight and policy. Polls had shown Trump's approval rating at a historically low level for a president at midterm time. Investors also began weighing what a divided government could mean for technology regulation and trade policy, which fed into the market moves that followed.