A Democratic wave has swept the U.S. Congress, as Americans rallied in near-record numbers to strip President Donald Trump’s Republican Party of its majorities in both chambers of Congress.
According to preliminary estimates from the University of Florida Election Research Institute, approximately 122.7 million votes have already been counted for the November 3 midterm elections. About 48.8 percent of voters cast ballots, making the midterm turnout the second highest in more than 100 years and slightly lower than in 2018.
In this visual commentary, Al Jazeera maps the seats flipped by Democrats, charts turnout across the country, and examines the history made on election night.
What are the latest results?
Votes are still being counted, but as of 9 a.m. (Japan time) on Thursday, November 5, Democrats had won at least 240 seats in the House of Representatives and 54 in the Senate, enough seats to control both chambers. Republicans gained 147 seats in the House and 44 in the Senate.
Forty-eight House races and two Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi have not yet been called. Democrats could end up with more than 260 seats in the House and 56 in the Senate.
The widget below displays the latest results. Visit this page for complete live results.
Who voted?
According to the University of Florida Election Research Institute, 54.5 million of the approximately 210 million registered voters had already cast early votes by 10 a.m. Eastern Time (3 p.m. Japan time) on Sunday, November 1. Approximately 30 million people voted in person and 24 million by mail.
By the time voting ended on Tuesday, the total had more than doubled. The Election Lab estimates that 122.7 million votes were counted and 48.76 percent of eligible voters cast their votes.
Voter turnout varied widely by state. Maine topped the list with 65.78 percent of eligible voters voting, followed by Minnesota (65.16 percent) and Michigan (63.65 percent). West Virginia had the lowest rate at 33.33%, followed by Oklahoma (37.08%) and Hawaii (37.68%).
The map below shows voter turnout by state.
How Democrats took back the Senate
Democrats needed a net increase of four seats in the Senate to reach the 51 seats needed for a majority. Because Vice President J.D. Vance could break the 50-50 tie in favor of Republicans.
They far outperformed that, flipping seven seats held by Republicans and securing at least 54 seats in the incoming Senate.
James Talarico won at Texas, Roy Cooper won at North Carolina, Annie Andrews at South Carolina, Sherrod Brown at Ohio, Josh Turek at Iowa, and Adam Hamilton at Kansas. In Maine, Democrats unseated Susan Collins.
Democrats also kept all their existing seats, even with new candidates like Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed.
How Democrats took back the House of Representatives
The target was a majority of 218 seats in the 435-member House of Representatives.
Democrats easily crossed that threshold, flipping at least 31 Republican-held districts across the country, including areas reshaped with new congressional maps. Gains were made both in close races and in areas where Democrats were less likely to win.
Kate Conley defeated Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District, and Rebecca Bennett defeated Thomas Keene Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. Elaine Luria defeated Jen Quiggans in Virginia’s 2nd District, and Rebecca Cook defeated Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s 3rd District. In Michigan’s fourth race, Democrat Sean McCann defeated eight-term incumbent Bill Huizenga.
historical first
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, giving the state its first Democratic senator since 1993. Additionally, Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to become the state’s first Latino governor and the first Democratic governor since 1994.
That progress spread far beyond Texas. Kansas will elect its first Democratic senator since 1932, and South Carolina will elect its first Democratic senator since 2005.
Democrats also flipped seats in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio. With these victories, he broke through Republican strongholds in the South and Midwest and took control of the Senate with two years left in President Trump’s term.
Several other candidates also made history.
Michigan: Abdul El-Sayed becomes the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. New Hampshire: Chris Pappas becomes the first openly gay senator. Georgia: Keisha Lance Bottoms, the great-great-granddaughter of a slave, becomes the first black woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state. New Mexico: Deb Haaland is elected the first Native American female governor. U.S. House of Representatives: Hakeem Jeffries could become the first Black Speaker of the House if Congress elects him in January.
What happens next?
Control of the House gives Democrats the power to block Republican legislation, lead House committees and investigate the Trump administration. However, the president can veto any passed bill, and overriding a veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, which Democrats do not have.
The new parliament will be inaugurated on January 3, 2027. Until then, Republicans will continue to control both chambers.
