Democrats Win Big in Midterms by Targeting Red States

Democrats won control of both houses of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, driven by a strategy to compete in traditionally Republican states and voter frustration with President Donald Trump and rising costs. The party's success included an improbable Senate lead in Mississippi, where prosecutor Scott Colom could become the state's first Black senator since Reconstruction, and a victory in Kansas, a state Democrats had not won for a Senate seat since 1932. Democrats invested broadly in state parties and focused campaigns on affordability, while Republicans grew frustrated with Trump's handling of the war in Iran and his focus on other issues. Democratic leaders plan to continue pursuing victories in previously written-off states, though some question whether the results reflect a lasting playbook or an extraordinary political moment.