On a November night in 2026, Democrats gathered enough flipped seats to take control of the United States Senate, a shift that began as ballots were counted across states once firmly Republican. The House remained unsettled as its tallies came in, and the outcome there will decide whether one party governs both chambers of Congress. Beneath the numbers lies a familiar human pattern: voters judging their own pocketbooks, their fears about immigration and democracy, and their weariness with a president whose approval has sunk to nearly thirty percent. It is the kind of verdict that echoes past m
Democrats Take Senate Majority as Midterm Data Reveals Deepening Divides Over Economy and Trump
Republicans lost ground among every demographic group compared with 2022
Mark
Six flipped seats is the headline. Which ones stand out?
Mimi
Texas, Ohio, Kansas, South Carolina and Iowa are not places people expect Democrats to win. North Carolina rounds out the six. Together they put Democrats past 51.
Luke
Worth being exact about what's confirmed. The Senate majority is called. The House isn't. Democrats are at 204 and Republicans at 123, and 218 is the line, so that's an unfinished count.
Mark
What does the demographic data show?
Mimi
Republicans slipped in every group compared with 2022. White men went from 60% to 55% Republican, white women from 56% to 48%. Latino voters leaned Democratic after helping Trump in the last presidential race.
Luke
Those are survey figures, from about 80,000 verified voters, so they carry a margin of error. They describe how groups voted, not why.
Mark
And the economy?
Mimi
Almost half said they were worse off than two years ago, and those people voted 72% Democratic. Gas prices rose after the Iran war began.
Luke
Note that voters who named the economy as their top issue split almost evenly. The economy matters, but it didn't push everyone in one direction.
Mark
What about Trump's standing?
Mimi
His approval is just under 30%. Only Bush, at 25%, was lower in recent history, and Bush's party lost Congress in 2006.
Luke
That comparison is DW's framing. The report doesn't say what happens in the House, so what this means for governing is still open.
The Pulse
- Six Republican Senate seats fell to Democrats, pushing them past the 51-seat majority line in a single election cycle.
- The House count is still running, with Democrats at 204 and Republicans at 123 while 218 seats are needed for control.
- Voters split sharply by economic mood, with those feeling worse off breaking 72% Democratic as gas prices and everyday costs climb.
- Immigration enforcement and the Iran war have hardened party lines, with 89% of immigration-first voters backing Republicans.
- Trump's approval near 30% has made the midterm a referendum on him, even though his name was not on the ballot.
- Final control of Congress and the policy consequences for the country remain unresolved until the remaining House races are called.
On a November night in 2026, Democrats gathered enough flipped seats to take control of the United States Senate, a shift that began as ballots were counted across states once firmly Republican. The House remained unsettled as its tallies came in, and the outcome there will decide whether one party governs both chambers of Congress. Beneath the numbers lies a familiar human pattern: voters judging their own pocketbooks, their fears about immigration and democracy, and their weariness with a president whose approval has sunk to nearly thirty percent. It is the kind of verdict that echoes past midterms, when a country that feels unsettled turns its frustration into a ballot.
By the time the Senate race was called, Democrats had flipped six seats Republicans had held, in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Kansas, Texas and Iowa. That carried them past the 51-seat threshold for control of the chamber, even as the House count was still underway. Going into the 2026 midterms, Republicans held both chambers by a thin margin, and all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were on the ballot.
The voter data, drawn from a survey of nearly 80,000 verified voters, shows Republicans losing ground across nearly every demographic compared with 2022. Among white women, Republican support dropped from 56% to 48%, and Latino voters, who had helped carry Trump to a second term, moved toward Democrats. Young voters aged 18 to 24 chose Democrats by three to one, while older voters remained the strongest base for Republicans.
The economy shaped much of the vote. Gas prices rose sharply after the Iran war began, and nearly half of Americans said their families were worse off than two years earlier. Those voters broke heavily for Democrats, while those who felt better off went Republican. Immigration and democracy also split the country, with those prioritizing immigration backing Republicans and those most worried about democracy backing Democrats.
Trump, though not on the ballot, became the central figure of the election. His approval has fallen to just under 30%, and half of voters said they wanted to rebuke him. Even among Republicans, a third expressed dissatisfaction with their party's Congress. The remaining House count will determine whether Democrats control both chambers.
By the time the Senate was called, Democrats had flipped six seats that Republicans held: North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Kansas, Texas and Iowa. That carried them past the 51-seat line needed for control of the chamber. Deutsche Welle, which follows the Associated Press for its race calls, reported the result while the House count was still under way.
The 2026 midterms put all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats on the ballot. Going in, Republicans controlled both chambers, though barely. In the House, 218 seats make a majority. At the time of reporting, Democrats stood at 204 and Republicans at 123, with many races still uncounted. Control of the House was not yet settled. The stakes reach past the vote itself, because most federal decisions need Congress's approval before they can take effect, whatever power the presidency holds.
The voter data comes from a survey of almost 80,000 verified voters, conducted by SSRS for AP and other news organizations. It combines interviews with early and mail-in voters and exit polls of people who voted in person on Election Day. It shows Republicans losing ground in every demographic group compared with the November 2022 midterms. Among white men, Republican support fell from 60% to 55%. Among white women it fell from 56% to 48%. Latino support for Republicans also dropped, and majorities of both Latino men and Latina women voted Democratic, two years after Latinos helped carry Trump to a second term. Black women were the most Democratic group, at 91%. Three-quarters of voters aged 18 to 24 chose Democrats, while Republicans led with 51% among voters 65 and older.
The familiar geographic and educational divides held. Almost 70% of urban voters backed Democrats, as did 57% of suburban voters, while almost 60% of rural and small-town voters went Republican. Democrats took 61% of voters with a college degree. Among those without one, the split was closer: 45% Democratic and 51% Republican.
The economy shaped much of the vote. Gas prices have risen significantly since the start of the Iran war, and everyday goods have grown more expensive. Almost half of Americans said their family's finances were worse than two years earlier. Those who said they were better off voted 75% Republican and 23% Democratic. Those who said they were worse off voted 72% Democratic and 24% Republican. Trump has said the country is on the upswing. Among voters who named the economy as their top issue, the split was nearly even.
Other issues divided voters sharply by party. Of those who ranked immigration first, 89% voted Republican. Trump has promised expanded deportations, and many states have seen a sharp rise in federal immigration enforcement, including ICE arrests of people with pending asylum cases. Trump and his supporters say this makes the country safer. Among voters who called the state of democracy the most pressing issue, 77% voted Democratic. Congressional Democrats have criticized Trump for ignoring court orders, including ones to halt deportations, and congressional resolutions.
Foreign policy followed the same pattern. Among those who said the joint US-Israeli war against Iran was the right decision, 91% voted Republican. Among those who called it wrong, 80% voted Democratic. Of voters who said US support for Israel is too strong, 77% voted Democratic and 20% Republican. DW notes that this support has become more contentious since Israel's strikes on Gaza began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, particularly among younger people and liberals. On ICE, 91% of those who approved of its actions voted Republican and 85% of those who disapproved voted Democratic. Tariffs also split along party lines.
Trump was not on the ballot, but the election worked as a referendum on him. His approval has fallen to its lowest point, with just under 30% of Americans saying he is doing a good job. Among recent presidents, only George W. Bush has been lower, at 25% at the end of his second term. In 2006, Bush's party lost both chambers of Congress. Half of voters in 2026 said they saw the election as a chance to rebuke the president, and three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the country's direction. One third of voters dissatisfied with the Republican-led Congress were themselves Republican voters. Majorities in Republican-leaning states were at least dissatisfied too. The remaining House count will determine whether Democrats control both chambers.
Notable Quotes
Half of voters saw the midterms as an opportunity to rebuke the president, and three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the country's direction.— Exit poll findings reported by Deutsche Welle
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