Democrats seize control of Congress as Trump spends $250 million
Voters rejected the president's economic and war policies, flipping key Senate seats in Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas despite heavy Republican spending.
By Luca Harrison ·
The November midterm elections marked a sharp break from recent political trends, as voters in the United States delivered a decisive victory to Democrats who will control both chambers of Congress beginning in 2027. This shift follows a period of unilateral executive actions and a conflict in the Middle East that raised fuel prices and alienated a segment of the traditional Republican base.
Donald Trump invested more than $250 million in Republican campaigns, with additional millions contributed by donors including Elon Musk. Despite this financial outlay, the party suffered losses in states that have historically favored the GOP. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton to become the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas since 1988. Roy Cooper flipped a Senate seat in North Carolina, and Democrats secured victories in South Carolina and Kansas.
The results extended to state governorships, with Keisha Lance Bottoms winning a dominant victory in Georgia and Gina Hinojosa claiming the office in Texas. In Ohio, Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy, a race in which Ramaswamy relied on an advertisement featuring negative comments from the estranged mother of his opponent. Ramaswamy expressed concern about the country's future direction following the loss.
Polling data from The AP Voter Poll indicated that roughly three-quarters of voters described their feelings about the direction of the country as angry or dissatisfied. Among voters who considered Trump when casting their ballots, approximately twice as many aimed to express opposition to him as those seeking to support him. About 60% of respondents attributed higher than usual prices primarily to Trump's policies.
Democratic leaders framed the results as a mandate for legislative action. Jared Moskowitz, who retained his House seat in Florida, stated that the party must deliver on lowering costs. He suggested that if the president vetoes legislation, he can tell the American people that affordability is a hoax. Roy Cooper, the new senator from North Carolina, said voters indicated that the chaos and corruption in Washington were hurting their people and that he was ready to take that message to the capital.
The reordering of power in Washington limits the president's ability to rely on compliant Republican leaders for legislative support. Republicans who lost in this cycle are expected to become more critical during their remaining terms. Trump, who previously disputed the 2020 election results, did not contest the outcomes of these midterms and described the Democratic performance as a good job. The party now faces the task of governing while managing pressure to investigate the president and pass legislation on healthcare and presidential power.
