Democrats Projected to Win House, Dealing Blow to Trump
Democrats are projected to retake the House in the midterms, setting up divided government in Washington while control of the Senate remains undecided.
Key takeaways
- ABC News and Decision Desk HQ project that Democrats have won enough seats to take control of the House in Tuesday's midterm elections.
- The result ends unified Republican control of Washington and gives Democrats subpoena power and committee gavels for the next two years.
- Control of the Senate had not been projected when the House call was made, and several House races were still uncalled.
What happened
Democrats are projected to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives, flipping the chamber out of Republican hands in Tuesday's midterm elections and handing President Donald Trump a significant political setback in the second year of his second term.
ABC News said early Wednesday that Democrats had secured enough seats to reach the 218 needed for a majority, a call matched by NewsNation's election partner, Decision Desk HQ. Analysts reported that Democrats had picked up at least 15 seats previously held by Republicans. The Associated Press had not yet called every race, and MS NOW estimated Democrats would finish with at least 235 seats once the count is complete.
Why it matters
A Democratic House ends the period of one-party Republican control that began when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. It sets up two years of divided government in Washington.
With the majority come committee gavels and the power to issue subpoenas and hold hearings. Democrats are expected to use that authority to examine the administration's immigration enforcement, federal spending decisions and use of executive power.
Evidence and context
Heading into Election Day, Republicans held a narrow 218-214 edge in the House, with one independent and two vacancies. In the Senate, the party held 53 seats to the Democrats' 45, with two independents.
The fight for Congress also carried a record-scale price tag. AdImpact projected roughly $11.6 billion in spending on the 2026 midterms, about $400 million more than was spent in the 2024 general election.
What it means for the White House
Any legislative priority that needs House approval now runs through a Democratic majority. Republicans, meanwhile, turn to regrouping ahead of the 2028 presidential race.
The open questions
The biggest unknown is the Senate, which had not been projected when ABC News made its House call. The final size of the Democratic majority is also unsettled, and that margin will shape how much room party leaders have on close votes.
What comes next
Vote counting continues, and the remaining House races are expected to be called in the coming days. The new House takes office when the next Congress convenes in January.
Before then, the current Republican-led Congress still has to deal with government funding, which is set to run out Dec. 11 under the stopgap lawmakers passed this fall.
Sources
Emily Carter
Emily Carter covers U.S. politics, the courts and government accountability. Her reporting focuses on how decisions in Washington affect institutions, businesses and everyday life.
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