Democrats take control of both chambers of Congress, setting up new showdown with Trump and say, ‘Relief is on the way’

The Democratic Party has secured control of both chambers of Congress following a series of unexpected victories in the 2026 midterm elections, setting the stage for a new period of political conflict with =Donald Trump. The results give the party control of the House of Representatives and Senate for the first time since 2023, ending Republicans’ unified control of Washington.

The victories came after a campaign shaped by concerns over the rising cost of living and allegations of corruption involving Trump and his allies. Democrats made those issues central to their messaging, winning races in several states that had supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

USA Today reported that the party flipped Senate seats in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Kansas, and Iowa, among other contests. Adam Hamilton is projected to become the first Democrat to win a Kansas Senate seat since 1932, while James Talarico’s victory in Texas marks the first time a Democrat has won a Senate race there since 1988. Democrats also picked up several competitive House districts, including seats in Florida and Pennsylvania.

Trump congratulates the winning party

In a Fox News interview, Trump tried to shift the blame away from himself, saying Democrats “did a good job” in their campaigns and blamed GOP candidates for losses. He added that “They’ve been looking for this one for 11 years, and they finally got it. But I don’t view it as a hit on me. I think we’ve done … We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency.”

The results came despite Trump spending the final weeks of the campaign traveling across the country to support Republican candidates. He urged voters to treat the midterms as an opportunity to back his administration, but the strategy did not prevent Republicans from losing control of Congress.

Democratic victories will give the party greater influence over congressional investigations and oversight once the new lawmakers take office in January. Representative Robert Garcia, who is expected to lead the House Oversight Committee, signaled that the party intends to scrutinize the administration, posting a blunt message on X: “LAWYER UP.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “We have five words for the American people… Relief is on the way.”

According to WGLT, potential investigations could examine the independence of federal agencies, including the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the business interests of Trump and his family.

Democrats will also have more influence over legislation and the confirmation of Trump’s judicial and Cabinet nominees. However, their new majority does not mean they can immediately implement their policy agenda. The president retains his veto power, which means legislation passed by Congress will generally need his approval unless lawmakers can secure enough votes to override it.

Trump has already indicated that he plans to use that power against Democratic proposals. He said, “I’ll become Mr. Veto,” before adding, “and then at some point we’ll probably make deals.”

Democrats are expected to push policies addressing affordability, including efforts to reverse cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. They may also seek to reclaim congressional authority over foreign trade policy and pursue bipartisan restrictions on lawmakers trading stocks.