In a sweeping upset to U.S. President Donald Trump’s power in Washington, the Democrats have retaken control of the American legislative branch.
Democrats won control of the Senate and Congress, in a widespread rebuke of Trump and the Republican Party, The Associated Press reported.
Two years deep into a trade war, Canadians wait to see the impacts of the shift in the balance of power, but on Wednesday it remained unclear how the results will impact trade negotiations.
The two sides have yet to come to an agreement, and while Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated progress, political watchers say immediate relief is unlikely.
Canada-focused updates, analysis and results below:
Sort by
Key updates
- Democrats take control, Trump tries to shift blame
- Republicans lose house leader
- Questions emerge about relief from tariffs, impact in Canada
- Canada-U.S. trade minister: "focus hasn't changed'
‘Our focus hasn’t changed’: LeBlanc
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Wednesday morning, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada’s “focus hasn’t changed” following the results of the midterm elections.
He said the current Congress remains in place until the new one is sworn in, in January, and that in the meantime he’ll continue to work with U.S. negotiators toward a trade deal.
“It's not particularly constructive for Canadians to interpret results in a foreign country's election, (and) we're not going to do that,” LeBlanc said, when asked whether the election results could push U.S. President Donald Trump to rethink his trade policies, specifically when it comes to tariffs.
“It's not up for Canadians to try and read into why particular American voters went in a particular direction,” he added. “Our job is to focus on what we can control, and that's to work with the people that Americans have elected.”
How could the results affect Canada?
While U.S. President Donald Trump suffered a huge domestic blow Tuesday, Canada and the United States remain embroiled in an extended trade war.
The two sides have yet to come to a new trade agreement, despite sources telling CTV News last week that trade talks between Canada and the U.S. were gaining momentum, and with both Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly stating over the weekend they are making progress.
But, it’s unclear how the results from Tuesday’s midterms could affect ongoing negotiations.
Three sources told CTV News last week that U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told a closed-door meeting Ottawa could be blamed if key races in the midterms go against Trump’s Republican Party.
The sources said Hoekstra expressly mentioned races in Michigan and Maine, where the Republicans needed to win if they hoped to hold on to the U.S. Senate. Both those states flipped to the Democrats on Tuesday.
While a majority-Democrat Congress could move to scrap some of Trump’s tariffs, which would benefit Canada, the move is not a foregone conclusion.
As former U.S. diplomat to Canada and trade strategist Scotty Greenwood told CTV Question Period last week, removing the tariffs would cut back on the revenue the U.S. government is bringing in, while the country’s debt and deficit are historically high.
‘Couldn’t be happier’: Doug Ford responds to U.S. midterm elections
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he “couldn’t be happier” with the results of the U.S. midterm elections because the result sends a message to U.S. President Donald Trump, whose tariffs have hammered the province’s economy.
“The American people spoke, and I couldn't be happier,” Ford told reporters Wednesday. “They can blame everyone they want, but President Trump has to look in the mirror, take responsibility for the results of last night.”
Trump’s tariffs have battered Ontario’s economy and Ford has repeatedly spoken out against them.
Speaking with reporters about Trump, he added "I can't stand the guy."
'A good day for democracy': ex-ambassador
Rather than a win for the Democrats, the results of Tuesday's midterms can be interpreted as support for democratic process and opposition to the actions of the Trump administration, says a former U.S. ambassador to Canada.
"It's a good day for democracy, and the Democratic party just happened to be the recipient of the exercise of the vote," Gordon Giffin told CTV News Channel Wednesday. He said the results indicate a rejection of policies and conduct of the current government and the president's supporters in Congress.
As for what's next, Giffin predicted a "number of Republicans (will) begin to worry about their own self-interest and their own self-preservation, which means being less devoted to Donald Trump, and more responsive to the constituents that elected them."
U.S. President Donald Trump after speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Vance blames war in Iran for midterm losses
In a lengthy online post, the U.S. vice-president seemingly sought to distance himself from election results seen as a referendum on Trump that featured big Republican losses across the country.
"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote, adding, "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest."
Quebec plans diplomatic offensive in U.S.: premier
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says his government will launch a diplomatic offensive south of the border following the U.S. midterm elections.
St-Pierre Plamondon says he believes there’s a better chance to find ways to resolve the trade war after an election in which the Democrats regained control of Congress.
He says Canada and Quebec will have an easier time finding allies to ease tensions after a result that’s widely viewed as a rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies.
Unexpected loss tied to 'Trump arch-enemy, Canada': Frum
Trump's trade war may have played a roll in an unexpected shift in Mississippi, according to The Atlantic writer David Frum.
In a message on X, Frum drew connections between Canada and the southern state, saying 20 per cent of employment in Mississippi is tied to international trade.
"Top destination for Mississippi exports? Trump arch-enemy, Canada," he wrote.
El-Sayed expresses pride in name Trump tried to weaponize
In his victory speech in Michigan's Senate race, Abdul El-Sayed used the middle name Trump often invoked while telling voters they should fear the progressive Democrat.
"My name is Abdulrahman Mohamed Sayed, and I am so proud and honoured to stand here as your senator-elect from the great state of Michigan," he said.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks at an election night event, early Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Detroit, as his wife Sarah Jukaku watches. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Could Democrats roll back Trump’s tariffs?
After Democrats take control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in January, they could introduce legislation aimed at reining in Trump’s tariffs. Trump, however, retains presidential veto powers that can only be overridden with two-thirds support in both chambers of Congress.
“They did not win veto-proof majorities in both the House and the Senate, so any legislation that they pass, if it does not have two-thirds majority support, President Donald Trump can actually veto that legislation,” CTV News political analyst Eric Ham said on Wednesday.
Securing a two-thirds supermajority would require significant bipartisan support from the Democrat’s Republican rivals. Democrats would also need at least 60 votes in the Senate to override any Republican attempts at filibustering proposed legislation. While that’s a steep hill for the Democrats to climb, Ham notes that with voters frustrated by rising prices, several Republicans previously crossed party lines to support resolutions aimed at overturning tariffs on Canada.
“Democrats said, once they take back control of Congress, the first thing that they’re going to do is rescind all of the president’s tariffs, as well as trying to revoke many of his trade authorities,” Ham told CTV’s Your Morning.
"We saw a number of Republicans actually cross the aisle to support Democrats in passing many of those resolutions [before], so I think we could see Republican lawmakers also work with Democrats to get things done.”
Republicans lose House leader: reports
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson will not continue as Republican leader in the new Congress, according to multiple reports.
NBC News cited four sources who were on a call with Johnson when he told his staff the news Wednesday morning.
The Associated Press also confirmed Johnson will not seek election as House Republican leader.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks with reporters alongside President Donald Trump after they arrived on Air Force One, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at Dubuque Regional Airport in Dubuque, Iowa, en route to a campaign rally. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
S&P/TSX composite up nearly 500 points
Canada's main stock index jumped nearly 500 points, after midterm elections in the United States saw the Democrats take control in both houses of Congress.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 480.11 points at 36,012.39.
The Canadian dollar traded for 71.68 cents US compared with 71.46 cents US on Tuesday.
Midterms indicative of president’s approval: historian
While Donald Trump’s name did not appear on any ballots, U.S. midterms are indicative of voters’ opinions of the current president, according to presidential historian Allan Lichtman.
“Every midterm is a vote up or down on the performance of the president,” he told CTV News Channel Wednesday from Bethesda, Md.
While some were surprised by Tuesday’s results, Lichtman said the blue wave was to be expected.
“When a presidential approval rating is as low as Donald Trump’s, on average, the party holding the White House loses.”
In this case, he said, there were “four strikes” against Trump: the war in Iran; the economy and inflation; threats to democracy; and corruption. The latter two items refer to beliefs of some Americans that Trump has used or will use his presidential power “to enrich himself and his family,” he said.
Presidential historian Allan Lichtman says Donald Trump still has a lot of power and questions remain on how he will use it over the next two years.
Democrats won back 5 key groups: AP poll
Democratic candidates made up significant ground among key demographic groups in the 2026 midterms, according to The AP Voter Poll, reversing many of the gains U.S. President Donald Trump made with the traditional Democratic coalition in the 2024 presidential election.
The AP Voter Poll, a sweeping survey of more than 100,000 voters in all 50 states, showed that young voters swung sharply left.
Hispanic voters, who shifted toward Trump in 2024 as well, moved toward Democrats this year, as did Black voters – particularly Black men. Many Moderates— who overwhelmingly said Congress was not doing enough to put checks and balances on the presidency — backed Democratic candidates nationally and were important for Democratic victories in several key Senate races.
And as most voters said inflation had caused them and their family at least “moderate” hardship over the past year, voters with a 2025 household income of less than $50,000 also shifted away from Republicans, compared to 2024.
Tariff relief for Canada not guaranteed after Democratic sweep
A political watcher in Canada says the Democrats’ sweeping midterm election victory in the United States likely won’t provide immediate relief from tariffs.
Donald Wright, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick, said U.S. President Donald Trump still has the executive powers he used to enact the tariffs and he isn’t likely to back off because of election results.
Instead, he said, the president could take the result as an excuse to punish states like Maine by ramping up the levies on Canadian goods.
For his part, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the two sides have “made progress” after the U.S. backed down on some of its demands.
“A vindictive president might want to hurt Maine … he could re-implement some of the tariffs that he lifted.”
Trump has no public events set as Democrats celebrate
Trump has no public events scheduled for Wednesday, according to the White House, following Democrats' resounding midterm election wins that will give them control of the House and the Senate for his final two years in office.
Trump had all but guaranteed the results would be seen as a referendum on him by repeatedly urging voters to "pretend I'm on the ballot." But the results showed how voters rejected his handpicked candidates while airing widespread concerns about high costs following the Iran war and his punishing tariff policy.
The results leave Trump -- who watched returns at the White House with his advisers and members of his Cabinet -- with dramatically diminished political capital at home and abroad.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the podium after speaking at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democrats take control, Trump tries to shift blame
Democrats have won control of Congress in Tuesday's 2026 midterm elections in a widespread repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, a drubbing that reached deep into reliable GOP territory.
Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in ruby-red states and battlegrounds alike: Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina. In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen districts, some that voted for Trump by double digits in 2024.
Trump faces a profoundly reshaped Washington for the last two years of his presidency. Democrats will have the power to block his legislative agenda, reject his appointees and investigate his administration.
After telling voters repeatedly to "pretend I'm on the ballot," Trump tried to shift the blame away from himself, saying Democrats "did a good job" in their campaigns and blaming GOP candidates for losses.
The sun rises behind the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
GOP working ‘to make America great again': Speaker Mike Johnson
"While the outcome of this midterm is not what we'd hoped and fought for, a new battle is just beginning," Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said overnight on social media.
Johnson is expected to face a challenge from Republican rivals if he tries to stay on as GOP leader in the new Congress, which Democrats will control after the midterm rout. He did not immediately address his plans.
He said, "come 2028, we WILL take back the House and we will finish the job."
Johnson is expected to face a challenge from Republican rivals if he tries to stay on as GOP leader in the new Congress, which Democrats will control after the midterm rout. He did not immediately address his plans.
He said, "come 2028, we WILL take back the House and we will finish the job."
U.S. midterm result a call to 'unite' to fight cost of living: U.K. PM
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday a sweeping victory for Democrats in U.S. midterm elections that weakened President Donald Trump represented an opportunity for the world to "unite" around resolving cost-of-living issues.
"President Trump has accepted the results, and I feel the world has an opportunity now to unite around the issue that is affecting us all, and that's the cost of living," Burnham told reporters. Burnham added that prices could not be reduced until the U.S. war in Iran "is resolved."
"President Trump has accepted the results, and I feel the world has an opportunity now to unite around the issue that is affecting us all, and that's the cost of living," Burnham told reporters. Burnham added that prices could not be reduced until the U.S. war in Iran "is resolved."
Redistricting plan didn't work for Trump-backed Republicans
At the urging of U.S. President Donald Trump, Republicans in eight states redrew the boundaries of dozens of congressional districts over the past year while angling for an edge that could help them hold onto a slim House majority in a tough midterm election.
Ultimately, it didn't work.
Republicans lost most of the Democratic-held seats they had targeted to flip, lost others they had banked on retaining and got swept out of power by a Democratic surge fuelled by voter dissatisfaction with Trump, the economy and the war with Iran.
The Republican redistricting plan fell flat in Alabama, Florida and Texas. It got scuttled by courts in Missouri and then firmly defeated by its voters Tuesday. And it got offset in California, where a retaliatory Democratic redistricting flipped previously Republican-held seats.
Ultimately, it didn't work.
Republicans lost most of the Democratic-held seats they had targeted to flip, lost others they had banked on retaining and got swept out of power by a Democratic surge fuelled by voter dissatisfaction with Trump, the economy and the war with Iran.
The Republican redistricting plan fell flat in Alabama, Florida and Texas. It got scuttled by courts in Missouri and then firmly defeated by its voters Tuesday. And it got offset in California, where a retaliatory Democratic redistricting flipped previously Republican-held seats.
Jerry Lorimer votes at the Kanwaka township hall Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, near Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Iran warns of wider war if U.S. attacks after Trump election rout
Iran's supreme leader warned on Wednesday that the Middle East war would widen if the U.S. resumes its attacks, dismissing hopes of a policy shift in Washington after midterm elections dealt a blow to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump has recently threatened to renew the war against Iran amid similar rhetoric from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but on Tuesday he suffered a resounding defeat in polls that will strip his Republicans of control over Congress.
The results could constrain Trump's ability to enact his agenda, though the president retains the power to order new strikes.
Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that if the United States did choose further military action, the scope of the war would widen, without elaborating.
Trump has recently threatened to renew the war against Iran amid similar rhetoric from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but on Tuesday he suffered a resounding defeat in polls that will strip his Republicans of control over Congress.
The results could constrain Trump's ability to enact his agenda, though the president retains the power to order new strikes.
Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that if the United States did choose further military action, the scope of the war would widen, without elaborating.
Boys, some wearing camouflage uniforms and green berets, stand in front of caricatures of U.S. President Donald Trump during the annual rally marking the anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover, outside the former embassy in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Too early to call outcome of California's billionaires tax proposal
A California measure to tax the net worth of billionaires that divided liberal leaders nationally and triggered one of the most expensive ballot fights in state history was too early to call Wednesday morning as the vote tally continued.
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5 per cent tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds US$1 billion, with most of the revenue dedicated to replacing federal funding cuts to healthcare. The measure left ultra-rich people, some of whom spent heavily to defeat it, scrambling to figure out whether they would pay the tax or leave California.
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5 per cent tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds US$1 billion, with most of the revenue dedicated to replacing federal funding cuts to healthcare. The measure left ultra-rich people, some of whom spent heavily to defeat it, scrambling to figure out whether they would pay the tax or leave California.
U.S. midterm elections result in a wave of historic firsts
The United States' first Black female governor, the first Indigenous female governor, the first Indigenous female senator and the first openly gay male U.S. senator had been declared winners on Tuesday.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones.
The astonishing Democratic wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
"These firsts show how our country is changing," Alexis Anderson-Reed, president and CEO of State Voices, a network of advocates for civic engagement and equity in democracy, said in an email.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones.
The astonishing Democratic wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
"These firsts show how our country is changing," Alexis Anderson-Reed, president and CEO of State Voices, a network of advocates for civic engagement and equity in democracy, said in an email.
This combination of photos shows Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds, left, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Fort Myers, Fla., and Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, right, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Smyrna, Ga. (AP Photo)
“For years, people of colour and LGBTQ+ communities have organized, knocked on doors, talked to voters, held conversations, and done the hard work of saving our democracy. These wins are because of them. -- Anderson-Reed”
Shares up as Democrats gain majorities
U.S. stock futures surged Wednesday after the U.S. midterm election yielded Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress.
The results usher in a new era of congressional resistance to the agenda aggressively pursued by U.S. President Donald Trump. One overarching theme was that divided government might not be such a bad thing.
Markets generally prefer that control of Washington be split between Republicans and Democrats. That is seen as offering less risk of sweeping policy changes that could upend the economy.
"The magnitude of the gains for the Democrats in the midterms does not change too much for the near-term policy outlook, given the party still lacks a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and President Trump has veto power to block legislation," Stephen Brown of Capital Economics said in an analysis.
A person walks near an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Kremlin's message for Trump, post-midterms
Russia hopes that Donald Trump will continue his "peacemaking efforts" after the midterm elections, the Kremlin said Wednesday, following a sweeping victory for the Democrats that dealt a blow to the U.S. president.
"President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev in a video posted by the reporter.
"President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev in a video posted by the reporter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with the Head of the Republic of Dagestan Fyodor Shchukin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
How Trump and Republicans lost midterms: The AP Voter Poll
After more than a decade with Donald Trump at the epicentre of U.S. politics, most voters appear exhausted and exasperated by him, according to The AP Voter Poll, a survey of midterm voters in all 50 states.
The president's failure to deliver on key promises -- most prominently, his vows to tame inflation, which has worsened instead -- clearly weighed on his fellow Republicans in Tuesday's midterm elections for the House and the Senate. The polling shows that voters generally saw Trump as being more focused on his own fortune and gold-leafed existence than their needs.
The president also helped elevate candidates with obvious flaws, amplifying their struggles in an already challenging year.
But the poll also contains a serious note of caution for Democrats. Many voters dislike the party -- and while Democrats hold an advantage on key issues such as the economy, their edge is relatively slim. About 7 in 10 voters said that Congress isn't doing enough to provide checks and balances for the president, setting the bar for Democrats who won back the Senate and the House.
The dawn illuminates the Senate side of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Obama: Americans sent clear message
Former U.S. president Barack Obama posted a statement on X overnight, saying American voters sent a clear message that they want unity rather than division.
"While this administration has another two years in office, our job now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes wherever we have the power to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future," he wrote
"While this administration has another two years in office, our job now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes wherever we have the power to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future," he wrote
Democratic takeover of Congress: What next
Democrats are preparing a legislative offensive against U.S. President Donald Trump after their sweeping midterm victory handed them control of both chambers of Congress and the power to challenge his policies, investigate his administration and block his nominees.
Emboldened by victories deep in traditional Republican territory, the party is promising swift action on living costs and the war in Iran, while signalling that investigations of alleged abuses and corruption will be a major priority.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become the first Black speaker when the new Congress takes office in January, vowed to go after what he described as “unprecedented corruption” in the government.
“Because if you have people in high office who are so focused on enriching themselves, their family members, their friends, or their donors, then they’re not focused on making life better for the American people,” he said.
But Democrats will not have a free hand. Trump retains his veto, while Senate rules allow Republicans to obstruct most legislation.
Midterms launch wave of historic firsts
There were cheers and happy tears at election parties from New Mexico to Georgia late Tuesday once it became clear voters had elected the country’s first Black female governor, the first Indigenous female governor, the first Native female senator and the first openly gay male U.S. senator.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was also added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones. The astonishing blue wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was also added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones. The astonishing blue wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
Most of these firsts are Democrats, but the GOP has also broken some new ground.
Democrat wins Michigan Senate race
Progressive favourite Abdul El-Sayed has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party’s left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator. A former public health official who has never held elected office, he rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
“You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates,” El-Sayed told a Detroit crowd early Wednesday as he declared victory. “Thank you. This is all yours.”
Maine Democrat ousts Republican
Maine Democrat Troy Jackson has ousted longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins to cap a U.S. Senate race that was, in part, shaped by the trade war between Canada and the United States.
It added to a blue wave that propelled the Democrats to take control of the Senate and punished allies of President Donald Trump.
“We have to stand up to Donald Trump. We have to stand up for our democracy,” Jackson told supporters in a victory speech.
Reshaped Washington
Trump faces a profoundly reshaped Washington for the last two years of his presidency.
Democrats will have the power to block his legislative agenda, reject his appointees and investigate his administration.
After telling voters repeatedly to “pretend I’m on the ballot,” Trump tried to shift the blame away from himself, saying Democrats “did a good job” in their campaigns and blaming GOP candidates for losses. Most voters appear to blame his administration for high costs and want Congress to impose more checks on him, according to The AP Voter Poll.
The White House is illuminated, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democrats take Congress
At a glance: Democrats have won control of Congress in a widespread repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, a drubbing that reached deep into reliable GOP territory.
Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in ruby-red states and battlegrounds alike: Kansas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator in nearly a century, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
They held on to battleground seats in Georgia and Michigan. In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen districts, some that voted for Trump by double digits in 2024.
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, third from right, takes a selfie with Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga, second from right, and others at an election night event, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
‘New era in world relations:’ South African leader
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Democrats taking control of the House and the Senate in the U.S. midterms is going to “introduce a new era in world relations.”
Ramaphosa says he hopes South Africa will be able to improve its bilateral relationship with the United States after his country became a target for criticism during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Trump’s Republican administration has made several moves against South Africa’s government, which he has baselessly accused of discriminating against its white minority. Those moves include excluding South Africa from meetings of the Group of 20 countries this year in the U.S. and suspending it from AGOA, a key U.S.-Africa trade program.
Democratic candidate Aaron Ford calls for patience as votes are tallied
Democratic candidate for governor Aaron Ford told supporters around midnight to be patient. Ford, the attorney general, is challenging incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo in a closely watched race in Nevada.
“Counting takes time. That’s not a flaw in our system; that’s actually our system doing its job,” he said in Las Vegas, encouraging supporters to “stay calm” and “keep the faith.”
“Counting takes time. That’s not a flaw in our system; that’s actually our system doing its job,” he said in Las Vegas, encouraging supporters to “stay calm” and “keep the faith.”
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, left, greets supporters after speaking at an election night event Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Republican wins reelection to U.S. Senate from Nebraska
Republican Pete Ricketts won election Wednesday to the U.S. Senate representing Nebraska, defeating independent candidate Dan Osborn.
Ricketts will now serve his first full six-year term, following his 2023 appointment to replace Republican Sen. Ben Sasse and 2024 special election victory. Osborn, an industrial mechanic and military veteran, also ran in 2024 against the state’s other Republican senator, Deb Fischer.
Democrat Cindy Burbank won her party’s primary earlier this year but served as a stalking horse candidate for Osborn, campaigning on her intention to withdraw and clear the way for the independent candidate, who was backed by Democratic leaders. Ricketts is a former Nebraska governor and a wealthy investor. The Associated Press declared Ricketts the winner at 3:27 a.m. EST.
Democrats lead by just 28 votes in Mississippi Senate race: U.S. reports
Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 28 votes in Mississippi’s Senate race, according to The New York Times, ABC News and NBC News.
More than 945,000 votes have been reported, which accounts for 96.5 per cent of expected votes. NBC News said an estimated 35,000 votes remain to be counted.
Hyde-Smith has served as senator since 2018.
President Donald Trump greets Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., at a campaign rally at Crossroads Arena, in Corinth, Miss., Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party’s left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator.
El-Sayed’s primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, shocked Democrats by endorsing Rogers on Nov. 1, saying the Democratic candidate hadn’t done enough to address her and the Jewish community’s concerns.
Which seats flipped?
Six Senate seats and more than a dozen in the House have flipped toward Democrats. It's the first time in decades that Texas, Kansas and South Carolina have elected Democratic senators. Democrats also flipped seats in North Carolina and Ohio.
Democrats Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio, Rod Sand in Iowa and Gina Hinojosa in Texas won races for governor, flipping GOP-held offices.
Fox News: Trump highlights the 'power of veto'
Trump stressed on Tuesday that he plans to use the "power of veto" to block Democrat-backed legislation, as the party is expected to take control of the House and Senate.
"It's one of the stronger powers that a president has," he told Fox News' Bret Baier. "And they'll send over things that are insane and I'll veto them. And after a couple of months of vetoes, they'll go out and they'll say, how do we get this stuff done? And we'll work together."
President Donald Trump walks from the podium after speaking at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Susan Collins will lose Maine: reports
Republican Susan Collins will lose her Senate seat in Maine to Democrat Troy Jackson, both CNN and Fox News project.
Collins had lobbied Trump to drop tariffs on Canada in October, but it wasn’t enough for Maine voters to re-elect Collins to a sixth term in office.
Collins and tariffs
Republican Senator Susan Collins made headlines in Canada last month after she announced tariffs on some Canadian agricultural-sector goods would come down.
She took credit for the relief, saying they followed her discussions with U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick – both of whom have been involved in negotiations with Canada – and senior Trump administration officials.
In turn, the Trump administration added new tariffs in their place.
Trump criticizes Texas governor after loss
After Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s defeat, Trump accused him of being a “RINO,” or a “Republican In Name Only.”
Abbott, one of the president’s most steadfast allies, lost his bid for a fourth term to Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
“If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn’t become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn’t have lost,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!”
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listens during an event in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
‘I thought they’d do better, actually’: Trump on Fox News
In an interview after a night that saw Democrats sweep the House and Senate, Trump told Fox News he was “a little surprised” that the Republicans had lost; and he thought “they’d do better, actually.”
When asked how he would work, in his last two years as president, with a Democratic House and Democratic Senate, he replied: “It’s been done before, as you know, numerous times, and it’s a power of veto.”
He said veto power is one of the “stronger powers that a president has,” and added if the Democrats “send over things that are insane,” presumably referring to legislation, “I’ll veto them.”
Despite that, he also said he would “work together” with the Democrats.
When asked why voters didn’t seem to heed his call to pretend that he’s on the ballot in the midterms, Trump said simply that voters “didn’t like the candidates.” He added that some of the candidates he endorsed fought him, and voters “didn’t’ like that they fought me.”
A banner with a portrait of President Donald Trump is seen hung outside the Department of Justice, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
'VETO' Trump takes to social media
Trump posted three Truth Social posts within the span of a few minutes after news agencies projected Democrats taking the Senate.
The posts ranged from a critique of Texas Republican candidate Greg Abbott, calling him a RINO (i.e., a Republican in name only), to a picture depicting a red hat with the word "VETO" on it.
In interviews before the midterms, Trump had hinted he would become "Mr. Veto" if Democrats won.
Key updates
- Democrats have won control of Congress, AP reports
- Redistricting didn't give Republicans the edge Trump hoped for
- Democrats will have power to block Trump's legislative agenda
- Trump congratulated Dems in post-election interview
- World leaders, markets react to results
- Carney, Trump say intensive trade talks underway
Democrats take Congress: reports
In a wide-ranging upset to Republican legislative power, the Democrats have flipped both the House of Representatives and the Senate, various U.S. media report.
The U.S. Capitol and Democratic supporters celebrating in Maine and Kansas are shown on U.S. midterm election day in a combination photo. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert/Robert F. Bukaty/Charlie Riedel)
Dems win first Kansas Senate seat in 94 years: U.S. media report
Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, both the Associated Press and NBC News project.
He is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1932.
Trump won Kansas by 16 points in 2024.
A tale of two Sullivans
A lot has been made of the two Dan Sullivans on the ballot in the Alaska senate race.
One, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher who’s run an invisible campaign, the other Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan.
The New York Times alleged this week it was Democratic operatives working alongside the Mary Peltola campaign who recruited the second Dan Sullivan to run in hopes of stealing votes away from the incumbent.
But based on voters we’re speaking with in Anchorage, the Dan Sullivan ballot issue is not resonating as an issue that could change voting intention.
Multiple voters have told us it is not difficult to differentiate between the two on the ballot. Others pointed out this is the kind of sneaky behaviour both parties have engaged in in U.S. politics, and they think a bigger deal is being made of it by the media and those in the “lower 48” than here in Alaska.
One man did tell me he thinks it’s cheating, and if he’d been planning to vote Mary Peltola, he’d be changing his vote.
In polling prior to voting day, Peltola’s been holding a narrow lead over Sullivan. If elected, she would be the state’s first Democratic senator since 2008.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks at an election night event Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A Dem for governor in Texas
Texans have elected Democrat Gina Hinojosa to serve as their governor, the Associated Press reports.
She’s the first Democrat governor to win since 1994, beating her Trump-backed Republican competitor, Greg Abbott.
She’s the first Democrat governor to win since 1994, beating her Trump-backed Republican competitor, Greg Abbott.
Opens in new window
