How the Democratic party flipped the House and Senate, in 12 charts

In the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic Party secured a historic majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, marking a significant shift in American politics. The party needed a net gain of just four seats to win back the Senate, and they achieved this through a series of impressive victories in states that had been Republican strongholds for decades.

Seven Senate seats were flipped in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, and Maine, with several wins coming in once-red districts. This control means Democrats now have the ability to veto any of President Donald Trump's nominees for the remainder of his term. In the House of Representatives, Democrats flipped 25 Republican seats, bringing their total to an estimated 259 - well above the 218 seats they held going into the election.

The election was largely seen as a referendum on Trump, with a majority of voters using their votes to oppose him. Support for the Democratic candidates was strongest among younger voters, with 60% of those aged 18-29 voting to oppose Trump. Older voters were more likely to support Trump, although even this group leaned toward opposition. Trump himself claimed that Republicans would have won "in a landslide" if he had been on the ballot.

Despite Trump's low approval ratings, which stood at 29% as of October 20, the Democratic Party saw significant gains from voters aged 30 to 44, who backed Democratic candidates 60% to 36%. Middle-aged voters (aged 45 to 64) also showed a clear preference for Democrats, with 51% supporting them compared to 47% for Republicans. Only the largest age group, voters 65 and older, favored Republicans, with a 51% to 48% split.

The economy and other issues were a significant concern for voters, with four in 10 naming it as the most important issue facing the country. Democrats and Republicans viewed different issues as most important, with Democrats receiving strong support from voters who cited the state of democracy as their top priority, while immigration was the clearest issue for Republican voters.