Roy Cooper

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections, a result that sends a message calling for a check on President Donald Trump's power. Vice President JD Vance said voter opposition to the war with Iran caused the Republican loss, and Trump said he largely agrees. The Iran conflict began after US-Israeli airstrikes in late February 2026 and has cost at least $38 billion and killed 19 Americans. Trump said he would soon decide whether to make a deal with Tehran or order new strikes, and he called Qatar's emir to discuss ending the conflict.

Democrats regained full control of Congress in the US midterm elections held on 3 Nov, winning sweeping victories that were widely described as a historic defeat for President Donald Trump. In Texas, James Talarico, Gina Hinojosa and Bobby Pulido won their races, giving Democrats all key state offices there for the first time in 30 years. Attention has now shifted to the 2028 presidential race, where no Democrat has emerged as a clear favourite and Democrats remain divided over whether to move toward the centre or further left.

The Democratic Party now holds 54 seats in the Senate and 228 seats in the House, giving it clear control of both chambers. Voters flipped four Senate seats previously held by Republicans, including a win in Texas that made James Talarico the state's first Democratic senator since 1988 and a victory in South Carolina. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa also became the first Latina governor. The Justice Department deployed about 1,000 monitors to polling places nationwide, citing election integrity as a top priority.