Donald Trump is suffering a serious political blow in the US midterm elections after Democrats won key seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. The vote was presented by the president as a referendum on his administration, but the initial results show declining support for the Republican Party.
Democrats flipped three seats in the House of Representatives. According to The Associated Press, if they hold on to all the districts they have represented so far, they will have the 218 seats needed for a majority. The agency, however, has not yet officially declared which party will take control, as counting is still underway in a number of districts.
Key Democratic victories in the Senate
The most significant breakthrough came in North Carolina, where former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Trump-backed candidate Michael Whatley and flipped a Republican Senate seat. “Thank you for everything you did to return this seat in the US Senate to the people of North Carolina,” Cooper told his supporters.
Democrat Jon Ossoff was re-elected in Georgia, despite the state backing Trump in the 2024 presidential election. In New Hampshire, Chris Pappas won the open Senate seat, keeping it in Democratic hands. Pappas also became the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate.
Before the election, Republicans held a 53–47 advantage in the Senate. Following Cooper’s victory, Democrats need three more seats to take control of the upper chamber. The remaining decisive races include those in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas.
High prices and discontent with the president
The economy and rising prices were among the main issues influencing the vote. According to the AP Voter Poll, about six in 10 voters disapprove of Trump’s performance, while roughly 70% want Congress to impose stronger restrictions on and oversight of the president. Other major concerns include the state of democracy, corruption and the war with Iran.
The poll also recorded a shift among young and Hispanic voters. About seven in 10 voters under 30 supported the Democratic House candidate in their district. Among Hispanic voters, around six in 10 voted for the Democrat.
Counting continues
The result in the House may be delayed because of close races and technical problems. In New York’s 17th Congressional District, a judge allowed thousands of paper ballots to be moved to a secure facility after the scanning machines malfunctioned.
So far, the confirmed victories give Democrats a strong position, but do not allow a final conclusion to be drawn about control of Congress. If the party takes control of either or both chambers, the Trump administration will face stronger congressional oversight, more investigations and greater difficulty passing legislative initiatives.
Sources: apnews.com, axios.com