The US midterm elections 2026 have produced a change in congressional control. Major news organisations called both the Senate and House of Representatives for Democrats after voting on November 3, while Georgia elected Keisha Lance Bottoms as its next governor. The former Atlanta mayor is set to become the first Black woman to govern a US state.

For US President Donald Trump, the results mean negotiations with a Congress led by the opposing party once newly elected lawmakers take office in January. Newsroom race calls establish the likely outcome, but individual vote totals and margins remain subject to official certification.

US Midterm Elections 2026: Both Chambers Called for Democrats

According to Reuters, Democrats secured control of both chambers by Wednesday, November 4. Earlier reports showing 145 House seats for Democrats and 93 for Republicans were snapshots from the count, not the final picture of chamber control. The US House of Representatives election covered all 435 voting seats. The US Senate elections covered 35 seats, comprising 33 regular contests and two special elections. Results continued to be counted in individual races even after the broader majority had been called.

Where Democrats Make Inroads in Republican-Held States

The Senate outcome included wins in Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa and Maine, according to Associated Press reporting. This is how Democrats make inroads in Republican-held states: each victory changes the national seat count, even if other state contests go to different parties. James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas. Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Roger Marshall in Kansas, becoming that state's first Democratic senator since 1932. Annie Andrews won in South Carolina; Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley in North Carolina; Sherrod Brown beat Jon Husted in Ohio; Josh Turek won in Iowa; and Troy Jackson defeated Susan Collins in Maine.

Early returns saw Democrats surge ahead in several races, but the confirmed story is about the projected winners, not a temporary lead in vote counting. The US Senate elections also saw Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff defeat Republican Mike Collins in Georgia and Chris Pappas retain New Hampshire's seat for his party. Those were Democratic holds, not flips.

Georgia Elects Its First Black Woman Governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson, according to Reuters. She will be Georgia's first woman governor and the first Black woman elected governor of a US state. The result ends Republican control of Georgia's governorship dating to 2003, when the new term begins. Bottoms previously served as mayor of Atlanta and worked in former President Joe Biden's administration. Her victory came alongside Ossoff's Senate re-election, but the outcomes are separate races, not evidence that every Georgia voter supported the same party across the ballot.

The number of votes and the exact victory margin should be updated from election officials after certification. The distinction between a media call and certified totals applies to state races as well as Congress.

What the New Congress Means for Washington

The US House of Representatives election result gives Democrats a majority capable of choosing House leadership, setting committee agendas and advancing or blocking legislation. The Senate majority gives them control over confirmation votes for judges and senior administration officials. Both chambers can oversee executive actions. US President Donald Trump remains in office and retains constitutional powers, including the veto. Democrats' control will not start immediately: the new Congress is scheduled to convene on January 3, 2027. Whether legislation passes will still depend on negotiations, the Senate's procedural rules and presidential action.

The US midterm elections 2026 will have consequences for budgets, appointments and foreign-policy oversight, although the results do not themselves change existing trade or immigration laws. Reports that Democrats surge ahead in Republican strongholds describe the scale of the shift, not a certified nationwide vote total. For now, the main result is settled in news organisations' race calls: both chambers are projected to change hands. The US midterm elections 2026 count continues at the district and state level, with official certification still ahead.