Democrats wrestled back control of the US Congress from the Republicans, along with many key offices across the country in this year’s midterm elections, which many see as a rebuke of US President Donald Trump and his policies.
Battleground States Flipped, Many Strongholds Decimated
In Texas, the GOP suffered a stunning and historic defeat, with both liberal senatorial and gubernatorial candidates winning their respective races.
President Donald Trump is joined by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Vice President JD Vance, British Ambassador Peter Mandelson, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, while announcing a trade agreement with the U.K., Thursday, May 8, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins)
President Donald Trump is joined by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Vice President JD Vance, British Ambassador Peter Mandelson, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, while announcing a trade agreement with the U.K., Thursday, May 8, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins)
James Talarico is now Senator-elect, handily beating Attorney General Ken Paxton 55.1% to 43.0%.
Incumbent Governor Greg Abbott will also vacate the governor’s mansion on January 19, 2027, after Democrat Gina Hinojosa became the state’s first Latina governor, garnering 52.8% of the vote against Abbott’s 45.7%.
Texas last had a Democratic governor in 1995.
Kansas, which has not elected a Democratic senator for almost a century, will be represented in the Senate by Methodist megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton, thwarting Republican Senator Roger Marshall’s bid for a second term.
In Maine, despite being known as a moderate, Republican Senator Susan Collins lost the Senate seat she has held for close to 30 years to her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson.
A logger by trade, Jackson campaigned on a promise to work toward dismantling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and establishing universal health care.
Voters in the swing state of Michigan also rejected the Trump-endorsed senatorial candidate, Mike Rogers, opting instead for former Detroit health department official Abdul El-Sayed.
El-Sayed’s decisive victory comes after repeated tirades from the president, who tried to scare voters by claiming an El-Sayed win would “open the floodgates and invite hordes of jihadis to our shores”.
Majority No Longer
The midterm results have effectively flipped Congress in favor of the Democrats, which in turn jeopardizes Trump’s remaining legislative priorities.
Trump’s earlier measures generally received broad support from both the GOP-led House and Senate.
Still, the Democrats’ return to power is poised to advance more liberal measures that previously would never have had a chance of becoming law.
As of press time, Republicans are set to hold 44 seats in the Senate and 139 in the House, while the Democrats hold a clear majority, with their 54 seats in the Senate and 228 in the House.
While several areas still have to be called, projections point to a conclusive win for the Democrats.
New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries, currently the House Democratic Leader, could become the first Black Speaker of the House if his colleagues elect him to the post once the new Congress begins its session on January 3 next year.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the current Speaker, Republican Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, will not seek to lead the newly diminished GOP in the House.
Republicans will choose the minority leader in internal elections set for November 10.
Trump Says He Will Become ‘Mr. Veto’
Despite saying earlier that he would be willing to work with Democrats, President Trump has seemingly changed his tune following the Republicans’ resounding defeat at the polls.
On Truth Social, Trump posted an AI-generated image of his signature red ball cap sporting the word “veto” in large letters.
Democrats can override the president’s veto — but they have not yet shown that they have the numbers required to do so.
While liberals will enjoy a significant advantage in numbers over their Republican counterparts, they still fall short of the two-thirds majority in both chambers that is required to override a presidential veto.
Survivors in the GOP Say It’s Going to Be a Time to Reflect
Republicans held their positions in states like Florida, but even there, the winning candidates were more contemplative than anything.
“What I’m starting to see is that we have a lot of Republicans who either did not vote or decided to go and vote for Democrats,” Republican Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds told Fox News. “I think there’s a frustration out there that we have a responsibility to address,” he added, pointing to issues like gas prices as a major pain point that Republicans failed to address.
Vice President JD Vance echoed his sentiments, seeking to soften the blow in a lengthy social media post.
“The reason we lost is the war [in Iran],” Vance admitted. “To the people who are pissed off and want to say, ‘I told you so’: you’re right, you did tell us so,” he added.
Four B-1B Lancers assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, arrive Feb. 6, 2017, at Andersen AFB, Guam. The 9th EBS is taking over U.S. Pacific Command’s continuous bomber presence operations from the 34th EBS, assigned to Ellsworth AFB, S.D. The B-1B’s speed and superior handling characteristics allow it to seamlessly integrate in mixed force packages. While deployed at Guam the B-1Bs will continue conducting flight operations where international law permit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Richard P. Ebensberger)
About the Author: Tim Ramos
Tim Ramos has written for various publications, corporations, and organizations, covering everything from finance, politics, travel, entertainment, and sports – in Asia and the U.S. for more than 10 years.
