Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate, ending Republican control of Congress, while several state races remained unresolved. (Foto: Instagram)
Democrats were projected to win majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, ending Republican control of Congress, even as results in several states remained unresolved. The gains included historic Senate victories in traditionally Republican states, including Kansas, Texas, South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as a closely contested win in Ohio.
Kansas, which Donald Trump carried by 16 percentage points in the 2024 election, elected its first Democratic senator in 94 years. Pastor Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Rep. Roger Marshall. In Texas, James Talarico became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the state since 1988. Democrats also won the state’s gubernatorial race, with Gina Hinojosa elected governor.
In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The result will return a Democrat to the state’s Senate delegation for the first time in more than 60 years. In North Carolina, former Gov. Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley and is set to become the state’s first Democratic senator in 10 years.
Ohio’s Senate race was among the closest. Democrat Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was seeking reelection, and reclaimed the seat Brown lost in 2024. Trump carried Ohio by 11 percentage points that year.
Trump said some candidates he supported had “fought against” him, but did not connect the election results to his record in the White House. “We’ve had the two best years in presidential history in terms of the economy and everything we’ve accomplished,” he said in an interview with Fox News. He also said he would accept the results and work with Democrats, telling The New York Times, “I’m absolutely willing to accept these results.” He added that the parties would likely reach an agreement.
Trump had previously suggested he would use his veto power if Republicans lost control of Congress. On Nov. 2, he told the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast that he might become “Mr. Veto,” saying Democrats could send him legislation, he could veto it, and the two sides might eventually negotiate. He later posted a photo of a hat bearing the word “veto.” Early Wednesday, Nov. 4, Trump blamed his party’s defeat in part on his absence from the ballot, writing on social media that if his name had been listed, “we would have won by a landslide.”
The Democratic wins also included several historic milestones. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the first Black speaker of the House. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of any U.S. state. Florida elected Byron Donalds, who will be the state’s first Black Republican governor. Former President Barack Obama celebrated the results on social media, saying voters had sent a clear message that they wanted politics that brought people together and leaders who offered practical solutions to the challenges they face.
