Democrats win control of Senate as US voters reject Trump’s agenda

Democrats will soon have the ability to hold up not just Trump’s legislative agenda, but also any appointments he makes to his cabinet or the federal judiciary – including the Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 majority.

Together with their likely triumph in the House of Representatives, Democrats are expected to have full control of Congress beginning next year, for the first time since 2022.

The party regained control of the Senate after their candidates won in a host of states where they hadn’t had success in years, if not decades, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Iowa and Kansas.

Vote counting is ongoing in Minnesota and Michigan – where the party hopes to hold seats vacated by retiring Democrats – as well as Maine, where Susan Collins is the last Republican senator representing a blue state.

Democrats also hope to unseat two-term Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska, but the result in that race may take days to be decided.

Historic shifts in key states

Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, and Texas since 1988. In South Carolina, it’s been 38 years since a Democrat won a Senate race, while in Iowa and North Carolina, it’s been 18 years.

The party initially named as their Senate targets Republican-held seats in North Carolina, Ohio, Alaska and Maine.

Circumstances appeared to move in Democrats’ favor as Trump’s second term got underway. His approval ratings slumped over time, particularly on handling of the economy and immigration, which were previously two of his best issues.

His decision to attack Iran and send federal agents to conduct highly public immigration raids, which resulted in the killings of two US citizens in Minneapolis, further alienated voters. As gas prices rose due to the conflict in the Middle East, Democrats became confident about winning Senate elections in Texas, Kansas and Iowa.

Trump’s primary meddling backfires

Trump’s meddling in the Republican primaries also appeared to backfire. He condemned North Carolina’s Republican senator Thom Tillis for opposing his main domestic policy legislation, leading him to announce his retirement. The Democratic nominee, former governor Roy Cooper, easily won the race to replace him.

Trump also endorsed scandal-plagued Texas attorney general Ken Paxton over the state’s longtime US senator John Cornyn, causing the incumbent to lose his primary, and giving Democrats what they believed to be a rare opening in one of the country’s most influential Republican strongholds.