54 Senate Seats: Democrats Seize Control After Midterm Losses

Democrats will control at least 54 seats in the U.S. Senate and at least 228 seats in the House beginning in January. These majorities give the party the power to block new Cabinet picks and judicial nominees. The results ended Republican control of every branch of the federal government after two years.

Recriminations among Republicans began before breakfast on Wednesday. In private calls and texts, many laid the blame for the losses on President Donald Trump. White House officials countered by pointing fingers at other candidates. One GOP strategist involved in midterm races said the defeat was mostly the fault of the president and an incompetent White House. The strategist spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly assess the outcome.

Critics cited specific strategic failures, including a redistricting gambit in southern states that did not hold up. They also pointed to the war with Iran and high gas prices as political liabilities. Another Republican strategist noted that the party had not done enough to bring prices down. The strategist added that voters were not voting on physical appearance, despite the president's praise for certain physiques.

Trump told Fox News late Tuesday that he would accept the results but not claim full blame. He stated that he was not on the ballot and therefore did not consider it a personal defeat. The president said he is ready to work with Democrats and cited calls with unnamed lawmakers. He vowed to keep his foot off the gas on policy priorities such as cutting taxes and deporting immigrants over the next two years.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles gathered aides and advisers in the East Room to discuss the losses. She vowed that Trump would not slow down on policy goals. Trump had no public appearances planned for Wednesday. Some in his party wondered when he would emerge to set the tone for the final two months of Republican power on Capitol Hill. Speculation swirled about potential changes in personnel for the Cabinet and the U.S. Supreme Court, where Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. is considering retirement.

Voters named the economy, health care, and the war with Iran as their top issues in a survey by the NORC Civic Health & Elections Project. Just 12% of voters said their family was getting ahead, while 29% said they were falling behind. Democrats had a 12-point advantage with voters who named the economy and jobs as their top concern. Two years ago, such voters favored Trump by 20 points. The survey also showed that 60% of voters disapproved of Trump, and 81% of them voted for Democrats.

Democrats won both the Senate race and the governor's race in Texas, denying incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott a fourth term. Trump blamed the losses in Texas on Abbott on social media, deeming him a Republican in name only. Exit polling by the Associated Press and major television networks showed double-digit swings toward Democrats among Latinos, Catholic voters, and voters younger than 30. Latinos had largely supported Trump in 2024 but grew exasperated with inflation and the mass deportation agenda.