Democrats have taken control of both chambers of Congress after a strong performance in this week’s elections, winning in districts and states that President Donald Trump carried by double-digit margins only two years ago.
The result gives the party its largest Senate majority since the passage of the Affordable Care Act during the early years of Barack Obama’s presidency. Results in Alaska and Mississippi remain outstanding; if both favour Democrats, their majority could rise to 54 seats, alongside two independents who caucus with them.
Several House contests are still uncalled, but the scale of the swing towards the Democrats is already being compared with the backlash against Republicans after the Watergate scandal.
Among the most notable victories was in Nevada’s Second District, which had been held by Republicans since the 1980s. Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson claimed victory overnight.
In Alabama’s Second District, Democrat Shomari Figures overcame a redistricting map that had favoured Mr Trump by 14 points. He won the seat by more than seven points.
Democrats face pressure to deliver
The new Democratic majority is expected to focus heavily on investigations in the House and Senate, with major legislation likely to be difficult to pass.
Most Senate legislation still requires 60 votes, while Mr Trump has alternated between presenting himself as willing to veto Democratic proposals and expressing an openness to working with the opposition party.
Democrats have campaigned on reducing costs and tackling corruption. They are expected to push for the restoration of enhanced Affordable Care Act health subsidies, seek to reverse Medicaid cuts, assert greater control over tariffs and press for an end to the war in Iran.
The election has also increased pressure on the party to deliver tangible change. One voter told a Democratic campaign reporter during the summer that, if Democrats won control, they would need to enact real changes or it would not matter whom they nominated for president in 2028.
Mr Trump made his first public appearance since the Republican losses while discussing construction of a ballroom in the East Wing. Asked about the election, he said he was not responsible for his party’s defeats and pointed out that he had not been on the ballot.
However, voters linked his policies, including tariffs and the war in Iran, to higher inflation and petrol prices. After Vice-President JD Vance suggested that the conflict had contributed to the Republican losses, Mr Trump acknowledged its effect on pump prices but defended his actions, saying he would do the same again if necessary.
With Democrats controlling Congress, the president is likely to face increased legislative gridlock. Democrats could also use funding powers to exert greater pressure over areas including immigration enforcement and the continuing conflict in Iran, although directly influencing fuel prices will remain difficult because they are tied to the international oil market.
Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House, also plans to step down as the party’s top House figure in the new Congress after the poor election result, according to a person familiar with his plans.
