Why Republicans lost badly in the US midterm elections

Democrats swept the US midterm elections, taking control of Congress in a resounding rejection of President Donald Trump's two years in office. The scale of the Republican defeat was viewed as a major setback for the president and his party. Key factors included soaring living costs, with 79% of voters reporting inflation caused severe or moderate hardship, and the unpopular Iran war, which 63% said was the wrong decision. Democrats ran disciplined campaigns focused on cost of living and healthcare, while Trump's unpopularity dragged down Republican candidates. The Democratic wave was also fueled by a shift among Hispanic and black voters, who moved away from Republicans compared to the 2024 presidential election. Democrats won all three House races in Hispanic-majority districts along the Texas-Mexico border, and a Senate race in Mississippi remained on a knife-edge.