Democrats gain control of Congress, dealing a blow to Trump
Kyiv • UNN
Democrats won the U.S. midterm elections, gaining control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The defeat creates a barrier for Trump.
Democrats won a convincing victory in the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, gaining control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress, which effectively amounted to a repudiation of President Donald Trump amid widespread voter dissatisfaction with the state of the economy and the war in Iran, Bloomberg reports, UNN writes.
Details
Across the country, Democrats scored victories in Republican strongholds, gaining at least seven Senate seats and winning House elections in districts that Republicans had easily carried in 2024. Several news agencies projected a Democratic victory in the House, while Decision Desk HQ projected their victory in the Senate.
The Democratic rout creates the first real obstacle to Trump's power in Washington since his return to the White House last year, as the party capitalized on a wave of voter dissatisfaction caused by the rising cost of living. "The new Congress will undoubtedly investigate Trump, his administration and business, and will also slow down his legislative agenda," the publication notes.
Throughout the campaign, Republicans struggled to distance themselves from the president, whose approval ratings had fallen to record lows in the weeks leading up to the elections, as he urged his supporters to vote as if he himself were the candidate.
Democratic candidates capitalized on this discontent. Their candidates were projected to win Senate seats in Maine, Kansas, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Iowa and Ohio. They need to gain four additional seats to take control of the chamber. Results have not yet been announced in Michigan, where Democrats are currently defending their seat.
In the race for the House of Representatives, Democrats won in Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Texas, Nebraska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as in other states. According to NBC News estimates, Democrats will win 255 House seats, compared with 180 for Republicans. As evidence of how serious the Republican losses were, Republican House campaign chairman Congressman Richard Hudson was projected by NBC News to lose his seat in North Carolina.
In the Senate race, James Talarico of Texas was projected to defeat Republican Ken Paxton in a close contest for the seat, becoming the first Democrat to win a statewide election in approximately three decades. AP also projects Adam Hamilton to win in Kansas, which would be the first time a Democrat had won a Senate seat in that state since 1932. Democrat Annie Andrews also scored a stunning victory in traditionally Republican South Carolina, defeating Darlin Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
The change in control of the House of Representatives, which will take effect on January 3, will end Trump's ability to pass bills with Republican support alone. But this change is unlikely to result in significantly more successful legislation, the publication notes. Trump will also still be able to use his executive power on issues such as trade, foreign policy and immigration.
What Trump said
In an interview with Fox News after the election results were announced, Trump said that, in his view, the rise in prices caused by the war with Iran was "partly" responsible for the Republicans' defeat. However, he defended his decision to start the conflict and said he did not plan to make changes to his Cabinet.
"Congratulations to the Democrats. They did a good job. They had been waiting for this for 11 years, and finally achieved it. But I don't consider this a blow to me," Trump said.
The U.S. president, who watched the election results together with Cabinet members and advisers in the East Room of the White House, said he would "accept" the outcome. Trump raised the possibility of widespread election fraud without evidence before the election, the publication notes.
How the markets are reacting
Uncertainty caused by the split in the government in Washington prompted investors to abandon risky assets, sending S&P 500 futures down 1.4%.
Stocks also fell amid concerns that tighter legislation by Democrats would lead to more stringent regulation of fast-growing businesses, including the development of artificial intelligence. U.S. Treasury bonds gained support on speculation that a potential political deadlock would reduce the likelihood of additional budget spending, while falling bond yields also put pressure on the U.S. dollar.
Democrats overcame a significant Republican advantage in fundraising, as well as an unusual mid-decade attempt in several Republican-led states to redraw electoral district boundaries in favor of party candidates. Democrats followed suit, but the resulting map proved favorable to Republicans.