Democrats win Senate, flip key governor races in 2026 midterms
Democrats won key Senate, House and gubernatorial races in the 2026 US midterm elections, including Senate contests in South Carolina and Texas and the Ohio governor's race, dealing a blow to President Trump. Democrats secured control of the Senate with a 51-seat majority, according to the Associated Press, after victories in Republican-leaning states. Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham in South Carolina, and James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas, with both marking historic firsts for Democrats in those states. The party also flipped several governor's offices, including Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, the first Black woman elected governor in US history, and Amy Acton in Ohio. Projected House gains would put both chambers of Congress in Democratic hands when the new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027.