On a November night in Washington, the balance of the United States House of Representatives shifted as Democrats claimed the majority that Republicans had held since 2023. The turn came from a public weary of rising costs, worn down by war abroad and tariffs at home, and unsettled by a president whose standing had sunk to a level rarely seen in a midterm. Its full shape is not yet settled, since some close races are still being counted, but the arc of the story is clear: a legislative agenda that had leaned heavily on one party's control now faces a different hand on the gavel for the final t
Democrats Win House Majority as Trump Approval Hits Historic Low Amid Cost-of-Living Anger
Republicans will not be deterred by the outcome of one election
Mark
Why does this result matter beyond the headline?
Mimi
Because it changes what Trump can do. CBS says it effectively halts his legislative agenda for his last two years, after a Republican House that gave up a lot of authority to his administration.
Mark
What drove voters?
Mimi
Cost of living, mainly. The Iran war and tariffs were cited as raising everyday costs, and exit polls showed 60 percent said the president factored into their vote.
Luke
Careful with the causes. The cost-of-living link is CBS's framing, and the 38 percent approval figure is from early exit polls, not a final measure.
Mark
Redistricting was supposed to protect Republicans. Did it?
Mimi
Partly. Texas and Florida redrew maps, but Cuellar and Gonzalez still won in Texas, and Pulido flipped a South Texas seat.
Luke
And Figures survived in Alabama despite a tougher map. But we don't know how many seats redistricting actually cost Democrats overall.
Mark
How big is the majority?
Luke
Unknown. CBS says several competitive races are still being counted.
Mimi
So the win is projected and clear, but the margin isn't.
Mark
What did the leaders say?
Mimi
Johnson said Republicans would double down. Jeffries said voters want transformational change.
El Pulso
- Democrats have claimed House control, ending a Republican majority that had held since 2023 and leaving the chamber's final size still uncertain.
- Voters cited the cost of living, the Iran war and tariffs, and early exit polls put Trump's approval at a midterm low of 38 percent.
- Republicans lost seats across Pennsylvania, Iowa, Colorado, Nebraska, Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia, including moderates and incumbents who had won comfortably before.
- Redistricting in Texas, Florida and Alabama failed to blunt the wave, with some Democrats surviving or winning under newly drawn maps.
- Speaker Mike Johnson vowed Republicans would "double down" while Hakeem Jeffries, poised to become the first Black House speaker, promised transformational change.
- Counting continues in several competitive races, and the next months will test how a Democratic House confronts a president with two years left.
On a November night in Washington, the balance of the United States House of Representatives shifted as Democrats claimed the majority that Republicans had held since 2023. The turn came from a public weary of rising costs, worn down by war abroad and tariffs at home, and unsettled by a president whose standing had sunk to a level rarely seen in a midterm. Its full shape is not yet settled, since some close races are still being counted, but the arc of the story is clear: a legislative agenda that had leaned heavily on one party's control now faces a different hand on the gavel for the final two years of the presidency.
Shortly before 11:30 on Tuesday night in Washington, Hakeem Jeffries stepped forward to declare that "America is back." CBS News had by then projected that Democrats had won control of the House in the 2026 midterms, ending a Republican majority that had held since 2023. The call came with a caveat: votes in several close races were still being counted, so the final size of the Democratic majority remained unknown.
The result was shaped by economic anger. Voters were worried about the cost of living, which the Iran war and President Trump's tariffs had made worse. Early exit polls showed his approval at 38 percent, on course to be the lowest for a president in a midterm, and about 60 percent said he was a factor in their House vote. The outcome effectively halts his legislative agenda for his last two years, after four years in which a razor-thin Republican majority had handed much of its authority to his administration.
Republicans paid a heavy price in Pennsylvania, where Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate who had broken with his party on Iran war powers, lost his seat, and several other incumbents fell as well. Iowa, Colorado, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Kentucky and Virginia also saw seats change hands, some in races that had been rated as leaning Republican.
Republican redistricting in Texas, Florida and Alabama was meant to blunt a Democratic wave, yet some Democrats survived or won anyway, including Henry Cuellar, who had been pardoned by Trump in December 2025.
Speaker Mike Johnson said he was disappointed, noting that history usually favors the party out of power, and warned against "retribution and lawfare." Republicans, he said, would "double down." Jeffries, who may become the first Black House speaker, said voters wanted transformational change and that Democrats would work to deliver it. What comes next is the final count and how a Democratic House will use its power against a president with two years left.
Shortly before 11:30 on Tuesday night in Washington, Hakeem Jeffries stepped up to declare that "America is back." By then, CBS News had projected what the evening was building toward: Democrats had won control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms, ending a Republican majority that had held since 2023.
The projection came with a caveat. Votes in several competitive races were still being counted, so the size of the Democratic majority was unclear. Heading into the night, the House stood at 218 Republicans, one independent who caucuses with Republicans, and 214 Democrats, with two vacancies. All 435 seats were on the ballot, and polls had closed in every state by 1 a.m. Eastern, when Alaska finished after Hawaii.
The political backdrop was economic. CBS News tied the result to anger over the cost of living, which the Iran war and President Trump's tariffs have worsened. Early exit polls showed Trump's approval at 38 percent, on track to be the lowest for a president in a midterm, according to the exit data. About 60 percent of voters said the president was a factor in their House vote. The outcome effectively halts his legislative agenda for his final two years in office, and it follows four years of a razor-thin Republican majority that ceded large parts of its legislative authority to his administration.
Pennsylvania was especially costly for Republicans. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate who was one of the few House Republicans to vote to limit Trump's ability to strike Iran again, lost the 1st District to Bucks County commissioner Bob Harvie, after winning by nearly 13 points in 2024. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie fell to Bob Brooks in the 7th, a seat he had flipped by one point. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. lost to Paige Cognetti in the 8th, and Rep. Scott Perry lost a rematch to Janelle Stelson in the 10th.
Iowa delivered three more. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks lost to Christina Bohannan in their third consecutive matchup. Rep. Zach Nunn, who won in 2024 by less than 4 points, lost to Sarah Trone Garriott. In the 2nd District, Democrat Lindsay James beat Republican Joe Mitchell for the seat Ashley Hinson is leaving after losing her Senate bid. Elsewhere, Democrat Denise Powell flipped Nebraska's 2nd District, held by retiring Republican Don Bacon, defeating Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding. Gabe Evans lost in Colorado's 8th to Manny Rutinel. Mike Carey lost in Ohio's 15th to Don Leonard, in a race both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball had rated lean Republican. Ann Wagner lost Missouri's 2nd to Fred Wellman. In Kentucky's 6th, Zach Dembo won the seat Andy Barr is vacating after winning his Senate race. In Virginia's 2nd, Elaine Luria, a 20-year Navy veteran, beat Jen Kiggans.
Republican redistricting in states including Texas and Florida was meant to blunt a Democratic wave, yet some Democrats won anyway. Henry Cuellar, pardoned by Trump in December 2025, won in Texas' redrawn 28th. Vicente Gonzalez held the 34th against Eric Flores. Bobby Pulido defeated Monica De La Cruz in a South Texas district Democrats had targeted after the region swung right in 2024. In Alabama, Shomari Figures won reelection under a map that dropped Mobile from his district and eliminated one of two majority-Black seats. Utah's court-ordered map gave Ben McAdams a win in a new Salt Lake City-area district.
Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking in Shreveport, Louisiana, said he was disappointed and noted that history typically favors the party out of power. He warned that if Democrats focus on "retribution and lawfare and partisan games," every American will suffer, and said Republicans "will not be deterred" and would "double down." Jeffries, now poised to become the first Black House speaker, said voters want transformational change and that Democrats would work to deliver it.
What to watch next is the final tally in races still being counted, and how a Democratic House uses its power against a president with two years left.
Citas Notables
Today begins the great American comeback.— Hakeem Jeffries, House minority leader
Republicans will not be deterred by the outcome of one election. In fact, we double down.— Speaker Mike Johnson
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