US midterm elections: Democrats gain ground in battle for Congress with North Carolina flip

Washington: Democrats have gained ground in their battle for control of Congress in the US midterm elections, flipping a Republican-held Senate seat in North Carolina and showing strength in several Republican-leaning House districts in Florida, according to projections. The outcome remains uncertain as millions of votes are still being counted across the country.

In North Carolina, Democratic former Governor Roy Cooper defeated the Republican Michael Whatley, securing a Republican-held seat. Meanwhile, Senator Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat with presidential aspirations, beat Republican Mike Collins in a previously competitive contest. In New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas retained the state's open Senate seat, defeating Republican John Sununu.

In Florida, Republican Senator Ashley Moody narrowly led Democrat Angie Nixon by around 3 percentage points, despite losing to Trump nationally by 13 points in 2024. Democrats retained three House districts in Florida, all of which backed Trump by at least 9 percentage points. Nationwide, half of voters saw the 2026 midterm elections as an opportunity to criticize the president, while 75% expressed anger or dissatisfaction with the country's direction.

The sitting president's party has historically lost ground in Congress in most midterms since World War Two. Trump's approval rating is near his career lows due to issues such as the Iran war, higher fuel prices, and affordability concerns. Republicans have portrayed Democratic candidates as radical and un-American, a narrative Democrats reject.

With 47 House races considered competitive, Democrats would only need to win 13 to secure a majority. However, in the Senate, Democrats must defend all current seats while winning at least two states previously won by Trump by double-digit margins. Legal observers warn that Trump may challenge the results if his party loses. The US Justice Department deployed 1,000 election monitors across all 50 states, citing it as the largest Election Day monitoring effort in history.

Despite concerns from Democrats about potential voter intimidation, election officials in several states reported no issues. The concerning case in Alaska unfolded when a New York Times report claimed that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola recruited an independent candidate whose name is similar to her Republican opponent, Dan Sullivan.

Peltola denies involvement, and a judge dismissed the lawsuit blocking the certification of the election results.