The Tuesday Night Blood Bath

By: Ethan Nguyen | Published on: November 7, 2026

Democrats celebrate winning control of the House and Senate (Nicole Craine for The New York Times)

The blue wave came and washed away 34+ Republican seats in Congress

November 3rd

212 million Americans were registered to vote in the Nov. 2026 midterms. Of that, 124 million made it to the polls and cast their ballots. Midterm elections traditionally have lower turnout rates compared to presidential elections; however, this year's midterm is still lagging behind in turnout rate compared to 2018's midterm. The question is then: why does this midterm feel so different? 

In Congress, thirty-three Senate seats and all 435 House districts are up for election this midterm, but the stakes have never been higher. America has reached a fork in the road, and voters face critical decisions about how to address high costs, war and gas. 

Results

Any Republican ideas or hope of holding on to control of Congress after this midterm were dashed on Nov. 3, as Republicans not only lost their majorities in both Chambers of Congress. 28 Democratic governors were elected, along with Democrats flipping legislatures, winning trifectas, and toppling GOP supermajorities across the nation. Governor Ron DeSantis said it best, calling the midterm an “extinction-level event for Republicans.”

Photo by Mike Stewart

Starting in the South and in the Senate, Texas candidate for Senate James Talarico beat Ken Paxton for Texas’s open Senate seat. In Georgia, incumbent Jon Ossoff beat Mike Collins, holding his Senate seat. Moving to the Midwest, in a stunning upset, Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall. In Iowa, Josh Turek ousted Republican Ashley Hinson for their Senate seat. In Ohio, Democratic incumbent/special election candidate Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Jon Husted. North Carolina, New Hampshire and Maine all saw Democratic wins in the Senate. Mississippi and Alaska are still counting, but Democrats are currently leading. 

The House saw some major upsets as well. Missouri's 2nd District, Indiana's 5th District, Kentucky's 6th District, Wisconsin's 1st District and Nevada's 2nd District all saw historic Democratic wins in traditionally Republican districts. The Democrats easily cleared the 218-seat majority with an impressive 242 seats. 

Something important to mention is that these wins for the Democrats extend to the state level. Republicans lost the governor’s office in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas. This means that Democrats, for the first time in 16 years, hold the majority of gubernatorial seats in the United States. In New Hampshire and Wisconsin, Democrats are poised to make the biggest gains in their state legislatures. Democratic trifectas were delivered in 5 states. Democrats also flipped seats and gained ground in Republican supermajorities and Republican-leaning legislatures.

The Lame Duck and 2028 

President Donald Trump, without Republican control of Congress, can not create or pass any legislation or even get nominees approved. Trump, as President, still wields a considerable amount of executive power. Looking ahead to 2028, the question is whether or not the Democrats can carry their momentum forward not only to hold onto their wins but to take back the White House. The road ahead for Democrats will not be easy; many of the cuts to federal programs in the Big Beautiful Bill will come into effect at the same time that Democrats are sworn in.