The Democratic Party won control of both chambers of the US Congress in the midterm elections held on November 3. American and international media described the vote as a major blow to President Donald Trump and as a “blue tsunami” for the Democrats. The result will leave the president facing an opposition-controlled Congress during the final two years of his term.
Americans voted for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, as well as 35 Senate seats. Democrats won positions in traditionally Republican states, including Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. The party also retained key seats in Georgia and Michigan.
Victories in Republican strongholds
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in the Senate race, while Gina Hinojosa ousted Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who was running for a fourth term. According to the preliminary results released, Hinojosa received 53.8 percent of the vote, compared with 44.9 percent for Abbott.
Hinojosa’s victory makes her the first woman of Hispanic descent to lead Texas and ends more than three decades of Republican control of the governor’s office. Abbott conceded defeat. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms won the gubernatorial election and became the first Black woman elected governor of a state in US history. In Ohio, Amy Acton defeated Trump-backed Vivek Ramaswamy.
Trump: I will accept the results but use my veto power
In an interview with “Fox News,” Trump said he would accept the election results and congratulated the Democrats on their “good work.” At the same time, the president rejected the notion that the vote represented a personal loss, saying that voters had not liked the Republican Party’s candidates.
“The Democrats did well. They fought hard,” Donald Trump told “Fox News.”The president warned that he would use his veto power to block legislation backed by the Democrats. “They will send me outrageous proposals, and I will veto them,” Trump said.
Later, he blamed “Fox News” for the Republicans’ losses and criticized Greg Abbott, whom he described as a “Republican in name only.” Trump also linked the defeat in Texas to the media’s portrayal of the governor.
What comes next for the White House
The new Congress will begin its work on January 3, 2027. Until then, Republicans will retain their current positions. Once the newly elected representatives take office, Democrats will be able to set the agenda in both chambers, block legislative initiatives from the White House and conduct investigations into the administration’s actions.
The Democratic majority in the Senate will also play a decisive role in confirming ministers, senior government officials and federal judges. Trump retains the presidential veto, but overriding it will require a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
The “Washington Post” described the result as a punishment for Trump and a sharp turn toward the Democrats. “USA Today” called it a “tsunami,” while “The Wall Street Journal” wrote that a “blue wave” had swept across the country.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, investing.com