Democrats win House and Senate in sweeping midterm rebuke of Trump

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, NBC News and the Associated Press projected, flipping Senate seats as far afield as Texas, Iowa and Kansas and setting up a divided government for the rest of President Donald Trump's term.

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, NBC News projected, delivering a stunning rebuke to President Donald Trump and Republicans two years into his second term.

NBC News estimated that Democrats will win approximately 255 House seats, well beyond the 218 needed for a majority and potentially their largest majority in nearly two decades. The party needed a net gain of just three seats. Among the Republicans defeated were Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan and Scott Perry in Pennsylvania, Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey, Jen Kiggans in Virginia and Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chairman of the House GOP campaign arm.

In the Senate, Democrats charted what the Associated Press called "an extraordinary path" through some of the most conservative states. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas, Josh Turek beat Rep. Ashley Hinson in Iowa, Adam Hamilton ousted Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, Sherrod Brown beat Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio, Annie Andrews won in South Carolina and Roy Cooper took an open seat in North Carolina. Sen. Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia.

Jeffries and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer at a White House meeting with President Donald Trump in September 2025 (file photo)

The results were widely seen as a referendum on Trump's policies, including his immigration crackdown, the eight-month war with Iran and tariffs that drove up prices. When the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, it will be the first time in Trump's second term that he does not have full control of Congress. Trump has said he will use his veto to block the Democrats' agenda.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to become the first Black speaker of the House. He has said Democrats would focus on reversing Medicaid cuts, extending Affordable Care Act credits, restoring congressional authority over tariffs and stopping the war with Iran. The new majority will also gain subpoena power for oversight investigations of the administration.

Democrats win House and Senate in sweeping midterm rebuke of Trump