Democrats won control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, with significant victories in states including Texas, Kansas and Iowa. Democratic candidates also secured a majority of House races despite competing in some districts redrawn to favor Republicans. The party’s gubernatorial candidates won in Republican strongholds including Georgia, Ohio and Texas, giving Democrats at least 28 governorships heading into 2027.

Newly elected officials, party leaders and political analysts discussed the results and the party’s next steps in interviews with NPR’s Morning Edition on Wednesday. Their conversations with Steve Inskeep and Michel Martin covered redistricting, voters’ expectations and the issues Democrats will need to address in office.

Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who was elected to the Senate, said his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, focused on El-Sayed’s name and faith instead of issues such as Medicare for All and the cost of everyday goods. El-Sayed also discussed legislation related to the war in Iran and said he agreed with Trump’s scheduled end to roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel. Asked about a lack of support from some Jewish and Black voters, he said he hoped to build more conversations and support.

Eric Holder, former attorney general and chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said Republican redistricting efforts had backfired, with candidates losing in districts drawn to help them. He described those efforts as not merely unsuccessful but dismantled.

In Georgia, where Democrats won races across the ballot, Fair Fight Action founder Stacey Abrams said the party had been building toward the result since 2010. She praised governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, whom she described as the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. Abrams said the victories in the governor’s race and other state offices could create an opportunity to restore rights she said had been lost across the South.

Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin called the election his party’s biggest win in more than a century. He said voters had given Democrats a mandate to address affordability, health care and systems that benefit wealthy Americans. Martin also argued that Democratic candidates offered voters a positive vision for what the party would do in power.

Pollster and Democratic strategist Margie Omero said the results reflected voters’ distrust of leaders in Washington. She noted that closely contested races repeatedly went to Democrats despite substantial Republican campaign spending, and said voters had sent a clear message.

Sources: NPR Politics.