Key facts
- Democrats took control of both the House and the Senate, according to the report, which gave no vote margins.
- A South Carolina businessman, not named, blamed Trump's unkept promises, including on Ukraine, for the losses.
- Roxana Sasani said the war in Iran pushed many Iranian-Americans to vote Republican.
- John Fredericks said the Ukraine war is not solvable and predicted it would continue at least two more years.
- Ron Ali Davis said the Republican Party needs to diversify its audience to broaden its appeal.
Republicans gathered at watch parties across Washington, D.C. on November 3, 2026, and by midnight the mood had turned as results showed Democrats taking control of both the House and the Senate, according to The New York Times.
At the Butterworth, a restaurant the report describes as long favored by Republican members and supporters, more than 650 people had registered and a line stretched from the front door. Guests wore red caps, American-flag socks and ties, and costumes inspired by historical American figures.
A young businessman from South Carolina, who asked not to be identified, blamed the losses on Trump not delivering on his promises. He cited the pledge to end Russia's war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office and said voters in his state rejected Darlin, described in the report as Lindsey Graham's sister, whom Trump had nominated for the seat, in favor of a Democratic candidate. He said he has invested in businesses in Ukraine.
Roxana Sasani, an Iranian-American born in Tehran, said the war in Iran shaped the midterm vote and that it had pushed many Iranian-Americans toward the Republican Party. She said she had little knowledge of Trump's policies toward Ukraine and hoped the president would help end the fighting there.
Ron Ali Davis, one of the few people of color at the gathering, said the party needs to diversify its audience and that money alone could not close a disconnect between its promises and what voters needed. With Democrats controlling both chambers, he said the world would change again and predicted legal proceedings against Trump and people associated with his administration.
John Fredericks, a conservative radio host seeking a leadership position in Washington, D.C.'s Republican Party, hosted a separate gathering at the University Club near the White House. He dismissed the 24-hour pledge on Ukraine, saying the conflict is not solvable and would continue for at least two more years because neither Vladimir Putin nor Volodymyr Zelensky was in a position to accept a settlement. He predicted Republicans would regain control in 2028.