Democrats vowed on Wednesday to use their resounding midterm victory to rein in President Donald Trump. This sets up two years of possible deadlock in Washington.
Trump spent his first post-election appearance showing off his under-construction White House ballroom. A wave of anger over his policies, particularly the US-Iran war’s role in pushing the cost of living higher, helped Democrats take the Senate. They flipped seats in deeply Republican states for a majority of at least 54-44. Democrats also gained at least 30 seats in the House of Representatives.
This is the first time Trump has had to contend with a Democratic-controlled Congress in both chambers. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the incoming majority will be focused on affordability and accountability.
“We don’t work for Donald Trump,” Jeffries told reporters on Wednesday. “We work for the American people. And the days of the House of Representatives functioning like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration are over.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a video urging his party to address the concerns of voters burdened by rising prices. “It is not enough to simply win power,” Mamdani said. “We must use it. Now, it’s time for us in the Democratic Party to deliver.”
Trump called in reporters on the morning after his party’s defeat to show off the ballroom he is building at the White House. “When I get criticized, like, ‘Why are you working on the White House?’ I’m doing it because the White House is the ultimate symbol of America, and it’s got to be pristine, it’s got to be perfect,” Trump said. He added that he would probably get along with Democrats unless they wanted to be destructive, noting he has the power of the veto.
Voters in conservative strongholds swung dramatically toward Democrats, fueled by deep frustration over the unpopular war with Iran and high living costs. In Texas, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak by winning their first Senate seat since 1988 and ousting Governor Greg Abbott. Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since the Great Depression, and Democrats won in South Carolina.
Once seated in January, Democrats are expected to use their power to investigate Trump’s administration and demand concessions on major legislation. The loss also upended Republicans’ House leadership. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not continue to lead his caucus next year.
Vice President JD Vance blamed the war on Iran for the defeat. “The reason we lost is the war,” Vance wrote in a social media post. Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the outcome as close to an extinction-level event for the party.
The election featured several historic milestones. Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s open Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber by defeating Trump-backed Mike Rogers. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in US history in Georgia, and Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman elected governor in New Mexico.
