Democrats Ride Blue Wave to House and Senate Majorities in 2026 Midterms

Democrats swept into power in Washington in the 2026 midterm elections, winning majorities in both the House and the Senate in a result that will reshape the balance of power for the remainder of President Trump's term. The scale of the victory left conservatives describing 2026 as "catastrophic" after what some called an electoral wipeout.

Among the most notable results, Abdul El-Sayed prevailed in Michigan after a bruising Senate race, delivering a major blow to the GOP. In Texas, Trump's bet on Paxton collapsed as the Lone Star State flipped for the first time in decades, a result framed as a political earthquake. Elsewhere, a Democrat flipped another state for the first time in nearly 100 years in what was described as a stunning upset for Trump and his party.

There was history on the Republican side as well. Trump backed Byron Donalds is set to become Florida's first Black governor. "I am humbled," Donalds said of his victory.

In Maine, a Republican senator's 30 year reign ended when a fifth generation logger pulled off a historic upset. In deep blue Minnesota, voters looked past a litany of scandals to reelect Ilhan Omar.

Trump responded to the losses by pledging to veto what he called "insane" bills from Democrats. He also acknowledged that the war with Iran contributed to the GOP's midterm defeats, though he insisted the conflict was necessary and suggested he had "no choice."

Reaction to the results poured in from across the political spectrum, with Democrats and Republicans alike setting social media ablaze and some urging allies to "lawyer up." The hosts of "Pod Save America" declared the midterms "the end of the Trump era," while Hillary Clinton warned that Democrats risk squandering their victory. Joe Rogan, meanwhile, argued that "woke" ideology is replacing God on the left.

Financial markets offered a measured initial verdict, with US stock futures mixed as Democrats scored their key election wins.

In other news, investigators eyeing a possible mid air breakup said a piece of a jet's tail was found miles from the crash site. A country singer died at 35 after doctors had given her just three months to live. And Popeyes revived a nostalgic discontinued side that fans had missed for years.