Democrats seize both houses of Congress in rebuke to Trump
Democrats have won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, flipping seven Republican-held Senate seats, among them Texas, Kansas, Ohio and Maine. The BBC projects 245 House seats for the Democrats to 166 for the Republicans. “Today begins the great American comeback,” said Hakeem Jeffries, who is poised to become the first black Speaker when the new Congress sits in January.
Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since 1932, and James Talarico ended his party’s 38-year statewide losing streak in Texas, where Gina Hinojosa also ousted Governor Greg Abbott. Susan Collins conceded in Maine after three decades. Hispanic voters, who helped deliver Mr Trump’s 2024 victory, swung decisively back, and Republican redistricting in Texas and Florida largely failed. In an election-day voter poll, 63% said the US was wrong to take military action against Iran and 65% said Mr Trump’s policies had worsened the economy. Florida was a rare bright spot for Republicans: Byron Donalds became its first black governor.