Democrats have won control of the House and Senate in a sweeping election result that amounts to a sharp rebuke of Donald Trump’s first two years as president. The party also captured several states long considered Republican strongholds, including Texas and Kansas, leaving Trump with less room to advance his agenda over the next two years.
Trump congratulated Democrats and said he looked forward to working with them, promising to accept the election results. As vote counting continued and Republican losses became apparent, he had posted on X that he would have won “in a landslide” if his name had been on the ballot. He later softened his tone, praised the Democratic campaign and said he would make no changes to his administration. He argued the result was not a verdict on his government, while acknowledging that the war in Iran had contributed to the outcome. Soon afterward, he posted on Truth Social an image of a red cap styled like a MAGA hat, but marked “Veto.”
Several candidates backed personally by Trump were defeated. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico beat Ken Paxton, becoming the state’s first Democratic senator since 1988. Democrat Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican governor Greg Abbott, making her the first Democrat to lead Texas since Ann Richards in the 1990s. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton became the first Democrat elected to the state’s governorship since 1932.
Democrats also won in Maine, where Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican senator Susan Collins. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff was reelected, and Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship, becoming the state’s first Black governor. In California, Democrat Xavier Becerra will succeed Gavin Newsom as governor.
The victories give Democrats an opportunity to rebuild after their 2024 defeat, but also leave the party facing questions over the balance between its moderate and progressive wings. For now, the results mark a major shift in control of Congress and a setback for Trump’s party.
Sources: ANSA Politica.