The historic Democratic victories in the 2026 midterm elections were more than just a rebuke of Donald Trump and his Maga movement – they are a five-alarm fire for the Republican party itself, which may be on the verge of collapse. The sweeping wins in GOP strongholds like Texas, Iowa and Kansas reveal an electorate that is fed up and eager for change. But that anger could turn on Democrats – quick. Now that they run Congress, what can the fractured Democratic coalition achieve? And will they do enough to keep voters on their side in 2028? Kai Wright and Carter Sherman break down what we know about this once-in-a-lifetime election and how this new Congress has the potential to be the most consequential since Reconstruction

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Voters have delivered a damning verdict on Donald Trump’s presidency with this Congressional landslide

Bitter experience made Democrats wary of believing that the blue wave predicted by polls would materialise. What arrived was not just victory but a rout: control of Congress and a Republican wipeout. It was an astounding humiliation for a president whose political brand is power. Donald Trump won it back in 2024 by promising voters lower prices and no foreign wars. He lost it by launching an illegal conflict that hit them in the pocket and imposing hefty tariffs too. He urged voters to pretend that he was on the ticket and they delivered a verdict that could not have been more damning.

Two years ago, retaking the House looked like a genuine fight for Democrats, and the Senate a long shot. On Tuesday, they needed to flip four more seats to gain a 51-seat Senate majority. Within hours of polls closing, they had 54, with two more races in the balance, and had easily passed the 218 seats needed for a House majority. This appears to be the biggest congressional landslide since 1976, in Watergate’s aftermath.

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Democrats have won a historic sweep in the US midterm elections, winning back control of Congress in a major setback for Donald Trump. Senate seats went blue in traditional Republican strongholds such as Texas, South Carolina and Kansas, where the Democrats had their first win since 1932. Voters have sent a strong message of discontent to the Trump administration over the economy, the cost of living and rising gas prices. Trump is now a lame-duck president for the rest of his term. Lucy Hough speaks to our Washington editor, Ankita Rao – watch on YouTube

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Democrats have taken back the House and Senate in the 2026 midterms. Here’s what a majority in Congress means for them – and for Trump

Tell us: what do you want to know about the midterm election results?

Democrats win control of Senate as US voters reject Trump’s agenda

US midterm elections – live updates

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Democrats have flipped the US Senate and House of Representatives in a massive rebuke of Republicans and Donald Trump’s agenda. With Democrats majorities in both chambers, the final two years of Trump’s presidency will look markedly different from the first half. But what can Democrats actually do with with congressional power?

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Democratic leaders and seat-flipping victors from Tuesday’s ‘blue tsunami’ offer post-election comments

The broad repudiation of Donald Trump, his policies and the Republican party, focused on Trump’s personal unpopularity, high costs of living and the Iran war, offer Democrats an opportunity to reset the US domestic agenda. But what will they do with it?

Here, Democratic leaders and seat-flipping victors from Tuesday’s “blue tsunami” offer their post-election comments.

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Voters watched results in near disbelief as James Talarico claimed victory in Senate race and Gina Hinojosa was elected state’s first Latina governor

US midterms 2026 live – latest updates

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“This is amazing,” exclaimed Tiffany Dunsmore, 44, the owner of Austin Scavenger Hunt, as the city skyline gleamed in the distance on a balmy night. “I cannot believe Texas went blue!”

For 32 long years, turning Texas blue had been an elusive prize for Democrats in the US’s second biggest state. There were false dawns, nearly men and broken dreams. But on Tuesday the party’s agony finally came to an end.

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Democrats flip seven Senate seats in Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Maine, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina; ‘blue wave’ rejects Trump’s agenda

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Full report: Democrats win control of Congress in ‘blue wave’

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Lauren Boebert, the hard-right Colorado congresswoman who has been one of Donald Trump’s most outspoken allies in the House of Representatives, is at risk of losing her seat in a close race with her Democratic challenger.

With more than 80 percent of the vote in, Boebert trails by one-and-a-half percent in the race for Colorado’s 4th District to Eileen Laubacher, a onetime Navy rear admiral and former Republican who switched parties.

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The Democrats have taken control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. These charts and maps reveal the key trends and races behind this result

The Republicans have lost seven Senators, 25 House districts and five governor races.

As of 8.00am Eastern Time (ET) on Wednesday, more than 1,800 of nearly 2,500 counties with Senate elections had returned more than 90% of their votes. Americans did not turn out in significant numbers for the Republicans amid high fuel prices and dissatisfaction with the president.

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