Democrats win both chambers in midterm rout of Republicans

Democrats have seized control of both houses of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, a major defeat for President Donald Trump's Republicans, according to US network projections. The party flipped Senate seats in at least six states, including Republican strongholds Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina. The Democratic wave was driven by voter frustration with Trump's economic stewardship and his decision to launch a war against Iran in February, which sharply raised gas prices. Exit polls showed half of voters viewed the election as a rebuke of the president, and 70% wanted Congress to provide more checks and balances on his power. Trump campaigned heavily for Republican candidates but blamed the loss on not being on the ballot, writing on social media that he would have won in a landslide. The Justice Department deployed 1,000 election monitors nationwide, a move Democrats criticized as potential voter intimidation.