This article was updated throughout the night. DW follows the Associated Press (AP) for when a seat is called for Republicans or Democrats.
In the 2026 midterms, Americans voted on all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 members of the Senate. Before election night, Republicans held the majority in both Congress chambers, if only by a hair.
Midterm elections are held every four years. The results will influence US politics for the next few years. Despite the significant executive power delegated to the presidency according to the US Constitution, the majority of federal political decisions have to be approved by Congress before they can be implemented.
Live election results: Democrats win majority in both House and Senate
For ongoing updates, go to our US midterms live blog.
In the US Senate, Democrats have managed to flip several Republican seats, winning races in Republican strongholds such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Kansas, Texas, and Iowa. With that, they have crossed the majority-line of 51 seats required to gain control of the chamber.
In the House of Representatives, all 435 seats are up for election. Democrats have crossed the threshold of 218 seats required to win the majority. That means they have flipped both chambers of Congress.
How did Americans vote: a look at demographics and attitudes
The data on voter demographics and attitudes is based on a representative survey of almost 80,000 verified voters conducted by survey and market research firm SSRS on behalf of AP and other news organizations. It builds on interviews of both early and mail-in voters as well as exit polls of in-person voters on Election Day. Where percentages of Republican and Democratic voters don't add up to 100%, the remaining percent were voters who voted for third-party candidates.
Republicans lead among white men, Democrats among younger voters
Republicans continue to make up the majority of white male voters. 55% of white men polled voted Republican. On the opposite end of the spectrum are Black women, 92% of whom voted Democrat. Remarkably, the majority of both Latino men and women voted Democrat in this election. Two years ago, Latinos were a big part of the vote that carried Trump to his second term in the White House.
Latino voters turn away from Republicans
The data shows that Republicans have lost support among all demographic groups compared to the last midterms in November 2022. Even among white men, the share of those who voted Republican fell from 60% to 55%. Among white women, the Republicans' share fell from 56% to 47%, and among Latinos, the percentage of Republican voters decreased as well.
Democrats lead among young, urban voters and college graduates
Age-wise, Democrats are strongest among young voters. Three-quarters of 18- to 24-year-olds voted Democrat. On the flipside, Republicans lead with 51% among voters aged 65 and up.
The urban-rural divide that has been part of US politics for years continues to hold. Among urban voters, 71% voted Democrat, among suburban voters, that number stands at 58%. On the other hand almost 60% of rural and small town voters were Republicans.
Democrats make up 62% of voters with a college degree. Among voters without a college degree, the split is less significant: 47% voted Democrat and 51% Republican.
It's the economy, stupid
One of the most important factors in this year's midterms is the economy. Prices for gas have increased significantly since the start of the Iran war, and everyday goods have become more and more expensive across the country as well. Almost half of all Americans say their family's financial situation is worse than two years ago.
That sentiment is not the same across the board though. Among those saying their family is better off than two years ago, 75% voted Republican and 24% Democrat. Among those saying they are worse off, only 24% voted Republican and 74% Democrat. President Trump has been saying that the country is on the upswing.
Immigration, economy, the state of democracy: What's the biggest issue for voters?
On the question of which issue facing the country is most crucial, voters are divided among party lines. Of those who said immigration is the most important issue, 89% voted Republican and only 10% voted Democrat. Anti-immigrant rhetoric has been a mainstay of Trump's speeches. He promised to ramp up deportations at the start of his second term. Many states have seen a sharp increase in activity from federal immigration agencies. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents have been arresting immigrants off the street, even people who have ongoing asylum application processes, for example. Trump and his supporters say these actions are necessary to make the US safer.
Among those who say that the state of democracy is the most pressing issue in the US, 78% voted Democrat. Congressional Democrats and their supporters have been saying they are concerned about how Trump ignores direct judicial orders, for example to halt deportations, or Congressional resolutions. Among those saying the economy is the most important issue, there's an almost even split of Republican and Democratic voters.
US Iran- and Israel policies
American voters are split on major foreign policy decisions made by the Trump administration. Among those saying that the joint US-Israeli war against Iran was the right decision, 91% were Republican and only 7% Democratic voters. Among those saying it was the wrong decision to attack Iran, 82% were Democratic voters and 16% were Republican voters.
The US support for Israel has been a highly controversial topic ever since Israel began its strikes on Gaza in retaliation to the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The two countries have long been partners, with the US being the most important ally for Israel, and Jewish voters a crucial demographic in the US. But as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates, support for Israel among the US population, particularly among younger people and liberals, has been wavering. Of those saying US support for Israel is too strong, 78% were Democrat voters and 20% were Republican voters. Among those saying support is about right, only one quarter was Democrat voters.
Domestic policy: dissatisfaction with Congress and country's direction
Among those dissatisfied with the House's and Senate's work, one third are Republican voters. With the extreme level of polarization in the US, reaching compromises to pass laws or approve a budget in Congress has become harder in recent years. That could be contributing to dissatisfaction.
Of people seeing their country as going in the right direction in general, only 4% were Democrat voters. Of those saying they're dissatisfied or even angry about the US's current direction, 70% were Democrat voters — and 27% Republican.
92% of those who said they approved of ICE's actions were Republican, while of those who disapproved, 86% were Democrat. Regarding Trump's tariff policy, there's a split along party lines as well, with Republican voters largely feeling they helped the economy. The president had introduced sharply increased tariffs on goods from a large number of US trading partners. Trump said the move was intended to even out unfair trade balances and protect American manufacturing. He has also used tariffs to punish countries he saw as acting against his political interests. The trade measures have made many goods more expensive for Americans.
Low approval ratings for Trump
Trump is not on the ballot, but the midterms are considered a referendum on how he and his Republicans governed the country for the past two years. Most recently, Trump's approval ratings have fallen to the lowest he has ever had, with just under 30% of Americans saying they think he is doing a good job.
In recent history, only George W. Bush has fared worse, with 25% at the end of his second term. During the 2006 midterm election, Bush's Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress.