WIPEOUT: GOP LOSES HOUSE AND SENATE
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Republicans lost deep-red Senate seats in South Carolina, Kansas and Texas as well as House seats nationwide, AP projects, giving Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.
Why it matters: President Trump made himself the face of the GOP campaign for control. Now his party is losing all over the map, and he's distancing himself from the outcome.
- Former President Obama wrote on X: "Tonight, the American people sent a clear message — they want a politics that brings people together rather than divides them, and leaders who offer concrete solutions to the challenges they face."
Zoom in: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won election to U.S. Senate from Michigan, AP projects, adding to the Democrats' already rushing blue wave.
- In Texas, James Talarico secured a history U.S. Senate seat, defeating Trump-backed Republican opponent, Ken Paxton. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott conceded to Democrat Gina Hinojosa in the Texas governor race.
- In Kansas, Adam Hamilton flipped the country's longest-held Republican Senate seat, ending a 94-year drought.
- In Maine, Susan Collins conceded to Troy Jackson in the Senate race.
- In Minnesota, Democrat Peggy Flanagan won election to U.S. Senate, AP projects.
- In South Carolina, Sen. Darline Graham will lose reelection to Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, AP projects.
- In Iowa, Democratic nominee Josh Turek defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson to flip the Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, AP projects.
Zoom out: Former Gov. Sherrod Brown (D) defeated Sen. Jon Husted (R) in Ohio, AP projects.
- Earlier in the night, Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Trump's handpicked candidate, Michael Whatley in North Carolina while Democrat Jon Ossoff won reelection to U.S. Senate in Georgia, AP projects.
- In North Carolina's 11th House district, Jamie Ager flipped the seat for Democrats. The seat is held by retiring Rep. Chuck Edwards, who ended his reelection bid after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured.
Between the lines: The results tonight were a clear national test of Trump's second presidency, following war abroad, economic anxiety at home and sweeping changes in Washington.
- "I am absolutely willing to accept those results," Trump said in an interview with The New York Times.
- "We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out."
Yes, but: Trump wrote on Truth Social he plans to criticize the candidates that lost. He also posted an image of a red hat with the word, "VETO."
Earlier in the night, Trump raged on social media about the results. He made Fox News the subject of his ire by critiquing Fox's political polling, calling it "a hit job, and every answer is 'BULLSHIT!'"
- He also texted on-air guests to rage against Jessica Tarlov, a Fox co-host and Democratic strategist he called "DUMB AS A ROCK."
- This came hours after he criticized multiple Democrat candidates as voters went to the polls.
The intrigue: Tuesday night's results created some historic moments beyond control for Washington and Trump's ire.
- Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate after besting former GOP Sen. John Sununu in the New Hampshire race.
- There will be three Black women serving in the U.S. Senate for the first time in history after Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Senate race in Illinois. She will join Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), who became the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in 2025.
What we're hearing: Voters identified the cost of living and government corruption concern as the two top issues in this year's election, according to exit polls from AP.
- Cost of living skyrocketed thanks to the Iran war and the president's tariff policies. Trump himself was deemed corrupt and dangerous in a poll of registered voters prior to the election.
The bottom line: Republicans have largely given Trump a free hand in Washington since his return to the White House. Democratic control of Congress will open the door to investigations, subpoenas and even more legislative gridlock.
