New Delhi: Democrats have secured control of both chambers of the US Congress following a sweeping midterm election victory, marking a significant setback for President Donald Trump and his political agenda.
The results point to a nationwide shift in voter sentiment, with Democrats crossing the required thresholds in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
According to the results available so far, Democrats have secured 54 seats in the Senate, exceeding the 51 needed to regain control. In the House, the party has won 225 seats against the 218 required for a majority. However, results in some constituencies remain pending, including several closely contested races in Alaska.
The election also produced several historic victories for Democratic candidates across the country. In Texas, James Talarico ended a 38-year gap by winning a Senate seat for the Democrats. Adam Hamilton achieved a similar breakthrough in Kansas, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate election there since 1932.
In Maine, Troy Jackson defeated long-serving Republican Senator Susan Collins, ending her three-decade hold on the state’s Senate seat. Michigan also witnessed a closely watched contest in which Abdul El-Sayed defeated Mike Rogers to secure a place in the US Senate.
Some Senate contests remained undecided, with Mississippi emerging as a potential site of a Democratic upset. The Alaska Senate race was also yet to be called, according to guardian.com.
The gubernatorial elections brought further milestones for the Democratic Party. Keisha Lance Bottoms’ victory in Georgia will make her the first Black woman to serve as governor of a US state.
In Texas, Gina Hinojosa became the state’s first Latina governor and ended the Democrats’ absence from the governor’s office that had continued since 1990. David Crowley also made history in Wisconsin by becoming the state’s first Black governor.
El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan carried particular significance. An Egyptian American doctor, he became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate after defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers in a key battleground contest.
His campaign faced repeated attacks targeting his religious identity. Trump described him as a “jihadist”, while Rogers questioned his loyalty to the US. El-Sayed responded firmly to the criticism and told Trump that he could “just go on and call me senator after November”.
Trump, meanwhile, indicated that he was prepared to accept the election outcome.
The Democratic Socialists of America also reported a strong performance, saying that more than 50 candidates backed by the organisation had won their respective races. Reacting to the outcome, the organisation said: “Workers deserve more and a reality where all of us live with dignity and hope is closer than we think.”
Former US President Barack Obama welcomed the Democratic gains, describing the outcome as a clear public preference for less divisive politics and leaders capable of offering practical solutions.
In his statement on X, Obama said: “Tonight, the American people sent a clear message – they want a politics that brings people together rather than divides them, and leaders who offer concrete solutions to the challenges they face.”
He also credited the victories to candidates who contested elections across different regions, including traditionally difficult constituencies. Obama highlighted their diverse backgrounds and political perspectives, noting that their shared commitment to public service and the interests of their communities had contributed to the party’s success.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also welcomed the results, describing them as evidence of a progressive political resurgence and the weakening of what he termed the “ultra wave”.
In his reaction on X, Sánchez said: “Yesterday, the American people voted against policies that only serve to impoverish people,” adding, “Against hate. Against sexism. Against climate denialism and against the privileges of the elites.”
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who reportedly spent an estimated USD 445 million supporting Republican candidates during the election cycle, responded to the party’s losses with sarcasm. Musk, whose financial backing made him the biggest donor in the elections, wrote on X: “Guess my election-interfering space lasers didn’t work this time.”
