Democrats have won control of both parts of the United States Congress in the country’s midterm elections, held on 3 November 2026 (US time).
Congress is the group of lawmakers who make the laws in the US. It has two parts – the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The Associated Press (AP), a large news agency, says Democrats have reached the 51 seats they need to control the 100-seat Senate. NBC News reported they took seven Senate seats from the Republicans.
In the House, several US news organisations, including NBC and ABC, have projected that Democrats will win. NBC estimates they will end up with about 258 of the 435 seats, well over the 218 needed for control.
What are midterms?
Midterm elections happen halfway through a US President’s four-year term. President Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot, but before this election his Republican Party controlled both the House and the Senate.
What happens next?
The new Congress starts in January. With control of both parts, Democrats will have more power to stop or change the President’s plans, and to investigate his government.
Some votes are still being counted, so the final numbers may change slightly over the next few days.
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