Democrats Sweep Midterms, Retake Congress
The party won both chambers and at least 28 governorships, including flips in traditionally Republican states.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
Democratic candidates secured control of both the House and Senate late Tuesday night, winning by wide margins. The party also took the governorship in at least 28 states, including Georgia, Ohio, and Texas. These victories mark the largest win for the Democrats in more than a century, according to party chairman Ken Martin.
The results reversed decades of trends in several key states. Texas, Kansas, and Iowa each flipped to Democratic control in the Senate for the first time in decades. This shift occurred despite mid-decade redistricting efforts that were designed to favor Republicans. Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said those maps failed. “The redistricting efforts that [Republicans] had didn't just fail, they were dismantled,” Holder said.
In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He said his opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, focused on his name and faith instead of issues like Medicare for All and the cost of daily goods. El-Sayed also noted he agreed with President Trump’s plan to end roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel. He acknowledged a lack of support from some Jewish and Black voters and said he hopes to change that.
Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight Action, said Democrats have worked toward this outcome since 2010. She highlighted the election of Keisha Lance Bottoms as the first Black woman governor in U.S. history. Abrams said the party’s full sweep of the Georgia ballot gives them a chance to restore rights lost across the South over the last 20 years.
Pollster Margie Omero attributed the results to deep voter distrust of Washington leaders. She noted that contested races consistently broke for Democrats, even when Republicans spent heavily during the campaign. “Voters really wanted to send a real clear message, and they couldn't have been any clearer than what we heard last night,” Omero said.
Martin told NPR’s Steve Inskeep and Michel Martin that the voters gave the party a mandate to address affordability and health care. He said candidates ran on positive visions rather than opposing their rivals. “Our candidates across the board ran for something, not against something,” Martin said. The new members of Congress will take office in 2027.
