The Democratic Party has taken control of the United States Senate in the November midterm elections, marking a major political setback for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, while Democrats are also closing in on a majority in the House of Representatives.
The results, announced following Tuesday’s elections, saw Democrats flip seven Senate seats, gaining control of the chamber after Republicans entered the election with a 53–47 majority. The victories included traditionally Republican states such as Texas, Kansas and South Carolina, where Democrats secured historic wins, alongside gains in North Carolina and Ohio.
Democratic victories in Texas, Kansas and South Carolina marked the first time in decades that the states had elected Democratic senators. In Texas, James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, while Adam Hamilton won in Kansas and Annie Andrews secured victory in South Carolina.
Democrats also defeated several Republican incumbents, including Senator Susan Collins in Maine, who conceded defeat to Democrat Troy Jackson after nearly three decades in the Senate. In Iowa, Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson, flipping another Republican-held seat.
The outcome represents a significant shift in political power in Washington, with Democrats gaining the ability to block Trump’s legislative priorities and exercise greater oversight over his administration during the remaining two years of his presidency.
The House of Representatives, which has 435 seats, is also heading towards a Democratic takeover. Democrats have flipped approximately two dozen Republican-held seats, although the final outcome remains dependent on the counting of outstanding votes.
The election results come amid growing public dissatisfaction with Trump’s administration, particularly over the cost of living, economic pressures and the government’s handling of the war with Iran. An Associated Press voter poll found that many Americans blamed the administration for rising costs and wanted Congress to place greater checks on presidential power.
Trump congratulated Democrats on their victories but rejected the suggestion that the results represented a judgment on his presidency, instead blaming Republican candidates for their defeats.
Abdul El-Sayed leads historic Michigan victory
In Michigan, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been declared the winner by Decision Desk HQ, defeating Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched Senate contest.
El-Sayed secured 50.81 per cent of the vote, with 1,840,168 votes, compared with Rogers’ 47.21 per cent, or 1,709,979 votes, according to the latest available results.
El-Sayed, a physician and former director of the Detroit Health Department, is of Egyptian heritage. His victory would make him the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.
His campaign focused on economic inequality, universal healthcare, campaign finance reform and reducing corporate influence in American politics. He also called for an end to US taxpayer support for Israel’s military.
The Michigan contest attracted national attention, with Trump’s allies repeatedly attacking El-Sayed over his Muslim identity and positions on Israel. Rogers, a former congressman, campaigned on economic policies aligned with Trump and sought to make the president’s support an advantage.
Trump’s proposed $5,000 payment
The election also puts an end to a key condition attached to Trump’s proposed $5,000 payment to American citizens.
In September, Trump announced what he called the ‘Trump Dividend’, promising a $5,000 payment to every adult American citizen if Republicans retained control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The proposal was presented as a payment funded through revenue generated by the administration’s tariffs. However, the estimated cost of distributing the payments to approximately 240 million adults was around $1.2 trillion.
With Democrats now controlling the Senate and on course to take the House, Republicans have failed to meet the condition Trump set for the proposed payments.
