Democrats Take Control of Congress and 22 Governorships in Historic Midterm Shift

Voters across the United States delivered a decisive rebuke to the party currently holding the White House, with Democrats winning majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. As of 4:00 PM ET on November 6, 2026, Democrats have secured at least a 250-157 majority in the House and a 54-44 majority in the Senate. This result represents a net gain of at least 43 House seats and seven Senate seats for the Democratic Party, all of which were previously held by Republicans. The scale of the Republican defeat in the Senate places this election in the top 20% of historical midterm cycles in terms of seat swings against the president's party, a threshold often described as a wave election.

The loss of control in the Senate is particularly significant for the administration, as it means Democrats will hold the power to confirm or reject judicial nominees and shape the legislative agenda. The seven Senate seats flipped by Democrats were all previously held by Republicans, indicating a broad geographic shift in support. In the House, Republicans lost at least 42 seats, a substantial number that falls just short of the 48-seat loss required to qualify as a wave election by certain historical metrics, though uncalled races could still alter this total. The final tally of the House remains subject to change as remaining districts report their results.

Beyond the federal chambers, the state-level results indicate a sweeping change in the balance of power at the statehouse level. Democrats have won a majority of governorships for the first time since before the 2010 elections. As of the reporting deadline, Democrats had won 22 gubernatorial races, while Republicans had won 12, with two races still undecided. Five of these governorships changed party control, all shifting from Republican to Democratic hands. This shift in executive power at the state level gives Democrats the ability to influence policy areas such as education, infrastructure, and healthcare in a majority of states.

The state legislative results further solidify this trend, with Democrats winning control of 46 of the 88 state legislative chambers on the ballot. Republicans won 39 chambers, and one chamber went to a bipartisan coalition, with two chambers remaining undecided. A total of twelve legislative chambers changed party control, all of which shifted to Democratic control. No chambers shifted from Democratic to Republican control. This broad base of legislative support allows Democrats to advance state-level priorities without relying solely on the governor's office, creating a more cohesive political environment in a majority of states.

The concept of a trifecta, where one party controls the governorship and both legislative chambers, saw significant movement in favor of Democrats. In 44 of the 46 states where trifecta offices were on the ballot, the status was decided. Democrats now hold 20 trifectas, while Republicans hold 16, and eight states have divided governments. Eleven states changed their trifecta status during this election cycle. Six states shifted from divided governments to Democratic trifectas, while five states changed from Republican trifectas to divided governments. This indicates that while some Republican strongholds were not fully lost, they lost their unified control, creating potential for legislative gridlock or compromise in those specific states.

Another metric of state power, the triplex, which includes the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, also saw a shift toward Democrats. In 36 of the 39 states where triplex offices were on the ballot, the status was decided. Democrats have won 20 triplexes, Republicans have won 11, and five states will have divided governments. Six states changed their triplex status, with two moving from Republican triplexes to Democratic triplexes and one moving from a divided government to a Democratic triplex. Three states changed from Republican triplexes to divided governments. This means that in a majority of states, the key executive and administrative offices are now under a single party's control, facilitating more streamlined governance.

The election also saw significant movement in the attorney general and secretary of state races. Democrats won 21 of the 34 attorney general races, with Republicans winning 10 and three races remaining undecided. Three of these offices changed party control, all shifting to Democrats. Similarly, Democrats won 21 of the 33 secretary of state races, with Republicans winning 11 and one race remaining undecided. Six secretary of state offices changed party control, all to Democrats. These positions are critical for administering elections and overseeing legal matters, and the shift to Democratic control in a majority of states suggests a long-term impact on how elections are managed and how state laws are enforced.

President Donald Trump, who faces a new Congress controlled by Democrats, has already begun reacting to the results. He announced that he is replacing his longtime adviser Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller to serve as the next chief of staff. Miller is known for his role in shaping the administration's hard-line immigration policies and is considered a key figure in the president's inner circle. This shake-up follows a period of transition in the White House, including the brief tenure of new press secretary Katie Zacharia, who left the job after five days. The White House is also without a permanent press secretary, as Karoline Leavitt left her position at the end of August.

In a separate development, President Trump made headlines by offering the job of White House press secretary to UFC boss Dana White. Trump posted on social media that he made the offer to White, describing him as a "violent Fighter and Warrior," and requested that White bring along several UFC fighters as assistants to defend the administration against the "Lunatic Left." White shared the post on Instagram, captioning it "On to the next chapter." This announcement, made while the White House was grappling with the aftermath of the midterm losses, adds a layer of unconventional leadership to the administration's next phase. The White House did not immediately confirm the offer, and White was in London for a boxing event at the time.