Key facts
- Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas and Iowa, per the Associated Press.
- The Associated Press called the House for the Democrats after the party surpassed 218 seats.
- Vance said Republican data showed turnout was not the main problem and cited polling of former Trump voters.
- Trump told Fox News the Democrats did a good job and fought hard, and said he did not view it as a hit on him.
- Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Susan Collins in Maine, the Associated Press projected.
- Democrat Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia, defeating Republican Mike Collins, the Associated Press called.
Democrats won control of the US Senate and House of Representatives in the November 4 midterm elections, according to media projections, capitalizing on voter discontent over Republican President Donald Trump's policies on inflation, tariffs, AI data centers and the Iran war.
Only hours after polls closed, Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas and Iowa, according to The Associated Press, clearing the 51-seat threshold in the 100-seat chamber. The AP called the House for the Democrats later in the night, after the party surpassed 218 seats. In 2024 and 2022, the AP did not call control of the House until eight days after Election Day.
Vice President JD Vance blamed Republicans' losses on the US war with Iran, saying in a post on X that "the reason we lost is the war" and that any honest conversation about the party's direction must start there. He said Republican data showed turnout was not the main problem, citing polling that found former Trump voters who abandoned the party primarily wanted to end the war, address the cost of living and inflation, put "America First" and change the US relationship with Israel.
Trump acknowledged the results but deflected blame. In an interview with Fox News, he said the Democrats "did a good job" and "fought hard," adding: "I don't view it as a hit on me." In a Truth Social post, he stressed that he "wasn't on the Ballot" and that if he had been, Republicans "would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" He also posted a picture of a red hat emblazoned with the word "VETO."
In other Senate races, Democrat Abdul el-Sayed won in Michigan, defeating Republican Mike Rogers, according to The Associated Press and other outlets, which noted he is the first Muslim elected to the chamber. Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican incumbent Susan Collins in Maine, the AP projected. Democrat Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia, defeating Republican Mike Collins. Democrat Mark Warner won reelection in Virginia.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the midterm results are an internal affair of the US, but that Beijing is willing to strengthen communication with Washington.