WorldUS midterms
Democrats projected to win the House as Senate swings their way
US networks project a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, ending Republican control of Congress. Democrats have flipped North Carolina and South Carolina in the Senate and need two more net gains for control.
Key points
- US networks project that Democrats will win the House, though many close races are still uncalled.
- Annie Andrews and Roy Cooper flipped two Republican Senate seats, half the net gain Democrats need.
- Alaska, Iowa, Michigan, Maine, Ohio and Texas will decide the Senate.
Democrats are projected to win control of the House of Representatives, the main US television networks projected early on Wednesday India time, ending the Republican hold on both chambers of Congress that President Donald Trump has enjoyed since January 2025. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, is in line to become Speaker when the new Congress meets.
Many of the tightest House races had not been called, and no final seat count was available. By the early count Democrats had taken four House seats from Republicans. They also held three Florida districts that Republicans had redrawn earlier this year, each of which Trump carried by at least 9 points. Going in, Republicans held 218 seats and Democrats 214, with 218 needed for a majority.
The Senate tilts
The bigger surprise came in the Senate, where Republicans went in with a 53-47 majority. In South Carolina, a state Trump won by nearly 18 points in 2024, paediatrician Annie Andrews beat Darline Graham, the Republican Trump had backed. Graham had been appointed to the seat after the death of her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham. Andrews is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in South Carolina since 1998.
In North Carolina, former governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley. With the two flips, Democrats have two of the four net gains they need to control the Senate. They also held Georgia, where Jon Ossoff beat Republican Mike Collins, and New Hampshire, where Chris Pappas defeated John Sununu for an open seat.
Ossoff told supporters that “the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of the man named President Donald J. Trump.”
In Florida, Republican Senator Ashley Moody led Democrat Angie Nixon by about 3 points in the count. The races in Alaska, Iowa, Michigan, Maine, Ohio and Texas were still too close to call and will decide who runs the Senate.
A verdict on Trump
Trump had told supporters to “pretend I’m on the ballot”. On the eve of the vote he admitted that the party in the White House often loses midterms: “But we gave this a very strong shot.” He had not reacted to the House projection at the time of writing. Exit polls found that half of voters saw the election as a chance to rebuke the president, with his approval near career lows amid the war with Iran and higher fuel prices.
A Democratic House gives the party the power to block Trump’s bills, open investigations and shape spending for the last two years of his term.
The Indian connection
In Florida’s 22nd district, Indian American Pia Dandiya won with 51.9% of the vote, defeating Marine veteran Casey Askar. The former high school principal becomes the newest Indian-American member of Congress.
Legal observers and Democrats have warned that Trump may challenge results if Republicans lose. The Justice Department had sent 1,000 election monitors to polling places, a move Democrats called intimidation.