Democrats were projected to win control of both chambers of Congress, with historic Senate victories in several traditionally Republican states. (Foto: Instagram)
Democrats were projected to win majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, ending Republican control of Congress, as election results brought historic victories in several traditionally Republican states. With results still pending in several states, the projections pointed to a major shift in Washington. Senate contests produced notable Democratic gains in Texas, Kansas, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as a closely watched win in Ohio.
Kansas, which Donald Trump carried by 16 percentage points in the 2024 election, elected its first Democratic senator in 94 years, according to the results reported. Pastor Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Rep. Roger Marshall. The outcome marked a major reversal in a state that had strongly favored Trump just two years earlier.
In Texas, James Talarico became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the state since 1988. Democrats also won the state’s gubernatorial race, electing Gina Hinojosa. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The result would return a Democrat to the Senate from South Carolina for the first time in more than 60 years.
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley and was set to become the first Democrat to represent the state in the Senate in 10 years. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was seeking reelection, and reclaimed the seat Brown lost in 2024. Trump had won Ohio by 11 percentage points that year, making the Senate contest one of the tightest races.
Trump said some candidates he had endorsed had “fought against” him, but did not connect the election results to his performance in the White House. “We’ve had the two best years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy, in terms of everything we’ve accomplished,” he told Fox News. He also said he would accept the results and work with Democrats. In an interview with The New York Times, Trump said he was “absolutely willing to accept these results” and that he hoped the two parties could reach agreements.
Trump had previously suggested he would use his veto power if Republicans lost control of Congress. On Monday, Nov. 2, he told the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast, “I think I’m going to become Mr. Veto,” adding that Democrats might eventually come to negotiate after their proposals were rejected. He later posted a picture of a hat bearing the word “veto.” Early Wednesday, Nov. 4, Trump blamed his party’s losses in part on his absence from the ballot, writing on social media: “My name wasn’t on the ballot, and if it had been, we would have won in a landslide!”
The Democratic victories also came with historic milestones. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was expected to become the first Black speaker of the House. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of any state in U.S. history, while Florida elected Byron Donalds as the first Black Republican governor in the country’s history. Former President Barack Obama celebrated his party’s wins on social media, saying Americans had sent a clear message that they wanted politics that brought people together and leaders offering practical solutions to the challenges they face.
