Democratic party seizes control of House and Senate in 2026 midterms

Jen O’Malley Dillon, a Democratic campaign strategist, previously emphasized the complexities of reaching voters in a polarized environment, stating, “What we’re seeing in the early parts of 2026 really puts Democrats in a good position, as long as we don’t screw it up.”

The shift in Senate control provides Democrats with the ability to block President Donald Trump’s nominees for the remainder of his term. In the House, Democrats now hold a majority of 259 seats, surpassing the 218 held by Republicans at the start of the election.

Trump’s influence, or lack thereof, played a key role. While not on the ballot, voters largely used the election to express their views on the former president, with 39% to 60% voting against him, and 7% to 22% voting in support. Opposition to Trump was particularly strong among voters aged 18 to 29 (60%).

Trump’s approval rating, standing at 29% as of October 20, was among the lowest for any president since George W. Bush’s rating of 25% in October 2008.

Democrats garnered support across various age demographics, winning every age group under 65. Voters aged 18 to 29 favored Democratic House candidates by a margin of 72% to 25%, while voters aged 30 to 44 supported Democrats 60% to 36%. The largest voter group, those aged 65 and older, narrowly favored Republicans 51% to 48%.

The economy remained a primary concern for voters, with approximately four in ten identifying it as the most important issue. This concern was particularly prevalent among Black voters (50%) and those aged 30 to 44 (45%).

The new Senate class includes several historic figures: Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed is the first Muslim U.S. senator, Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan the first Native American woman in the Senate, New Hampshire’s Chris Pappas the first openly gay man elected to the chamber, Iowa’s Josh Turek the first Paralympian senator, and South Carolina’s Annie Andrews the first woman elected to the Senate from her state. Adam Hamilton’s victory in Kansas marks the state’s first Democratic senator since 1932, and James Talarico’s win in Texas ends a 32-year Democrat drought in the state’s Senate seat, despite Elon Musk’s $212 million investment in Republican efforts.

Following the election results, the S&P 500 rose 1.8% and the DOW gained over 1,000 points. However, companies linked to Trump, Musk, and the AI sector experienced declines, including a significant drop for Trump Media.