Democrats Take Both Houses in Midterms

Midterm elections across the United States concluded with a decisive shift in power for the Democratic Party on Tuesday evening. NBC News projects that Democrats will control both the House of Representatives and the Senate beginning in January. This marks the first time since 2006 that the minority party has flipped control of both chambers in a single night.

In Pennsylvania, incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro secured a re-election victory over Republican challenger Stacy Garrity. NBC News projected the win, noting that Shapiro carried the state by more than 20 points. In the state's 1st Congressional District, Democratic challenger Bob Harvie defeated Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick. Harvie, a former high school social studies teacher and Bucks County commissioner, had campaigned on holding large corporations and the ultra-wealthy accountable to the working class.

The 7th Congressional District also shifted to Democratic control, with challenger Bob Brooks defeating incumbent Ryan Mackenzie. These local victories contributed to a broader national trend where Democrats gained seats in traditionally Republican areas. Nationwide, Democrats flipped six Republican-held House seats in states including Maine, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

The party also achieved a historic milestone in state leadership. Democrats won a majority of governorships for the first time in 16 years. They flipped control of offices in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Nevada. In Texas, Democratic state representative Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Governor Greg Abbott, becoming the state's first Latina chief executive. She won the contest despite a significant spending disadvantage in a state President Donald Trump carried by nearly 14 points in 2024.

In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson to become the first Black female governor in U.S. history. She joins Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Florida Governor Byron Donalds as part of a record group of three Black governors elected on the same day. In Iowa, state auditor Rob Sand won the governor's race, becoming the first Democrat to lead the state in two decades.

Voters cited opposition to President Trump and his administration's policies as a primary driver of their choices. An NBC News exit poll found that 43% of midterm voters said they voted partly to express opposition to Trump. Another 71% of voters, including 41% of Republicans, indicated that Congress had not provided enough oversight of the White House. Affordability, corruption, and the war in Iran were also identified as key issues.

President Trump reacted to the results on social media, suggesting the party lost because he was not on the ballot. He stated, "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer of New York outlined his party's immediate goals before the election, promising to lower costs, end corruption, and reduce chaos.

The change in control sets up a period of intense legislative and executive conflict. Democrats will now hold the power to conduct investigations and pass legislation that checks the Trump administration. The outcome could influence the composition of the Supreme Court and the trajectory of the 2028 presidential race.

The next major step occurs in January when the new Congress convenes. Lawmakers will formally organize and begin the process of appointing committee chairs. The Senate and House will then begin drafting legislation to address the priorities voters cited, including affordability and oversight mechanisms.

In Delaware, Democrats retained key offices, with Chris Coons winning re-election to the Senate and Kathy Jennings securing the Attorney General position. In New Jersey, Cory Booker won his Senate seat, while Zack Mullock defeated incumbent Jeff Van Drew in the 2nd Congressional District, a race that remained too close for an immediate call in some projections but was reported as conceded by the incumbent.