Democrats swept both chambers on November 3, 2026, ending Republican control of Washington. This is the story of that night — and the morning after — in 13 frames. Swipe through.
Photo: DAVID ILIFF via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, US Capitol at night)
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were on the ballot, and voters delivered a rebuke. Democrats flipped more than two dozen House districts, including some Trump had carried by double digits in 2024. The wave didn't stop at Congress — it ran through statehouses too.
Photo: Heather Katsoulis via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, a ballot at a US polling place, 2008)
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico beat Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race, according to projections. It was the first Democratic Senate win in Texas since 1988. A state written off as deep red just moved.
Photo: Daniel Mayer via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, Texas State Capitol).
Democrat Adam Hamilton is projected to be the first Democrat to win a Kansas Senate seat since 1932, USA Today reported. That's nearly a century of Republican history, broken in one night. Kansas voters clearly wanted something different.
Photo: Aviper2k7 via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, Kansas State Capitol).
South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine all flipped Senate seats to Democrats, according to projections. Democrats also held key seats in Georgia and Michigan. The Associated Press projected at least 54 Senate seats for Democrats by early Wednesday.
Photo: Florencebballer via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, South Carolina State House).
'I think a part of it was Iran,' Trump told Fox News on election night, according to Haaretz. By Wednesday he called Vance's blunter verdict 'largely true,' blaming gas prices — but he refused to regret the war itself. 'You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon,' he said.
Photo: Daniel Torok / The White House via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, President Donald Trump).
'The reason we lost is the war,' Vice President JD Vance wrote on X on Wednesday morning, according to Reuters. He argued that losing the Senate for six years was the price of the conflict. It was the closest he has come to openly criticizing the president he serves.
Photo: Daniel Torok / The White House via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, Vice President JD Vance).
Diesel prices hovered near all-time highs, and an AP-NORC poll found voters of both parties wanted the next Congress to focus on affordability and ending the war. About 6 in 10 voters told the AP Voter Poll the US made the wrong decision on Iran. Gas prices turned a foreign war into a kitchen-table issue.
Photo: Crcjfly via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, gas station price sign).
House Speaker Mike Johnson told his staff on Wednesday morning that he won't seek to lead House Republicans in the new Congress, according to AP reporting. His spokesman confirmed it to AFP in one word: 'Accurate.' Johnson keeps his Louisiana seat — but not the leadership job.
Photo: UKinUSA / Rebecca Lessner via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, Mike Johnson, July 2026).
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to be nominated for speaker, and he would become the first Black speaker of the House if elected on January 3, 2027. House Democrats hold their leadership elections starting November 18. The gavel is changing hands.
Photo: Office of Representative Hakeem Jeffries via Wikimedia Commons (file photo).
Trump will now govern against a Democratic Congress for the first time in his second term. Democrats gain subpoena power and control of the purse strings — including war funding. The president has already promised to veto legislation he calls 'insane.' Gridlock is coming.
Photo: Matt H. Wade via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, US Capitol Rotunda).
Scalise and Jordan launched bids on Wednesday to replace Johnson, with a leadership vote set for November 10. Republican strategists are pressing Trump to shake up his staff and change course. Vance opened the argument about the war. Others will join it.
Photo: MartinThoma via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, American flag).
Want the full picture — the numbers, the quotes, and what happens next? Read our full report.
Photo: Gryffindor via Wikimedia Commons (file photo, US Capitol at night).