An overwhelming, total victory. A 'blue wave', in American terminology, and a harsh punishment for President Donald Trump and his policies. On an epic night, the Democratic Party has regained control of both chambers of Congress, completely flipping the political map of the country. It has done so with historic victories in South Carolina, Texas, and Kansas, true conservative strongholds that had not elected a progressive senator in 60, almost 40, and 96 years respectively. Winning in North Carolina, Ohio, and even Maine, Iowa, and Michigan. Installing the first black governor in history, the first Hispanic governor in Texas, the first openly gay member in the Washington Senate, and the first Arab-American Muslim. The MAGA leader turned the midterms into a referendum on his management and a plebiscite on his figure, and Americans responded with a clear message.
The midterms could not have gone better for the opposition. Although the final results will take time to be known accurately, the majority is wide in the House of Representatives and very solid in the Senate (at least 54 seats) where it was not even enough to win by 51 to 49, as among the Democratic votes is usually counted the vote of an independent senator from Pennsylvania who is increasingly leaning towards conservatives. With uncertainties in Alaska and Mississippi, the result was an absolute sweep in the Senate, something that even the most optimistic models did not predict.
But it didn't stop there. The tsunami extended to state legislatures, to governor and judge positions. To proposals in referendums. A total amendment to the Government, to its party, to a philosophy and a way of doing politics. An undeniable sweep that opens a new phase. Today the primaries for the 2028 presidential elections begin, and they do so with Donald Trump more weakened, questioned, and surprised than ever in the last decade.
Just before 10:00 PM Washington time, the White House began damage control by sending a message to reporters distancing itself from the results, saying that the president is not to blame for what happened, that he worked harder than the candidates themselves. And even claiming that "the president was not on the ballot," a blushing message after the last two months had been spent asking every voter to think that Trump was indeed on it. "President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves (...) TPresident Trump was not on the ballot, and it's proven that Trump voters show up when he is on the ballot." the statement said. The president, in fact, is the one who handpicked most of the losers tonight. Darline Graham in South Carolina, Ken Paxton in Texas, or the Senate candidate Jon Husted in Ohio.
The president, however, unlike in 2020, his last defeat, accepted the results in a conversation with The New York Times, assuring that he would work with his rivals and trusting in "achieving deals." Trump is known for his changes of opinion, for unexpected turns, but he paraded through the major national media to comment on what happened. "My message is congratulations to the Democrats," he added. "There was a mood in the air, I guess. I shouldn't feel guilty because virtually I saw you on your show the other night saying that almost never does the sitting president, no matter how good or bad or Republican or Democrat he or she is, but no matter how good the president is, you lose" he insisted on Fox without acknowledging any mistakes.
The outgoing Congress had a Republican majority in both chambers, which allowed the White House to face little opposition in the last two years. The advantage was a slim majority in the House, but with three comfortable seats (57-43) in the Senate. Progressives needed to regain at least four seats in each. Two months ago, polls indicated that the House of Representatives was possible, actually probable, but that the Senate was very difficult, almost unattainable because everything had to align. All 435 representatives are renewed every 24 months, but senators have six-year terms, so only about a third were up for election now, and they did not seem the most favorable for a sorpasso. Nothing could be further from the truth.
However, tonight, anti-Trump candidates have trampled their rivals across the country, completely changing the map and preparing the ground to build a true opposition to Trumpism in its last two years. Confirming the polls, which in recent days increasingly showed a blue tsunami. One so large that no one believed it or dared to believe it, given that in the past votes for Trump or his candidates have often been underestimated.
"We did it. House Democrats have regained control of the United States Congress. We're going to fight to make sure that we make this country affordable for every single American. We're going to fight for an affordable America, we're going to end this national nightmare, and we're going to continue America's long, necessary, and majestic march toward a more perfect union" celebrated Hakeem Jeffries, likely the next 'speaker' of the Congress.
The results have been crushing. Even in the most decisive states, the advantage has been incredible, more than 10 or 15 points for progressives. A pastor won in Kansas, a seminarian in Texas, a Paralympic champion in Iowa, a 'unionist' in Ohio, a pragmatic centrist in North Carolina, and a pediatrician in South Carolina. Profiles far removed from the communist ghost painted by the White House and the Republicans.
Trump started closing the campaign talking about butts, algae in the pond next to the Lincoln monument, and trans athletes. Saying he didn't "give a damn" about complaints about the cost of living. And the enormous advantage from two years ago has evaporated. The radicals, the MAGA, the most controversial and devoted to the president have lost. But also lifelong Republicans, more moderate and skeptical of the White House, like Susan Collins in Maine. "And to all the parents who struggled to explain to their kids why the president openly mocks someone for their name or how they pray, let them know tomorrow that the bad guys lost." celebrated El Sayed from Michigan, who has suffered savage Islamophobic and racist attacks, especially from the White House.
The analyses are still hasty. One school of thought holds that we are facing a self-inflicted defeat of the Republicans, rather than a hard-fought victory by the Democrats. But tonight, they have maintained all the crucial seats they had to defend (with the uncertainty in Michigan) and achieved victories in dozens of districts where Trump won in 2024 by 10, 15, or more points. A clear display of fury, rage, and exhaustion. Over food prices, fuel, the proliferation of data centers, or blatant corruption.
Trumpism has been the dominant force in the country for the last decade, but it now faces its final stage. At least as we have known it until now. Among the 10 largest and most populous states in the country, only one has a Republican governor, Florida, and by a hair. The two largest states, economic engines of the nation, Texas and California, will have a Hispanic governor at the helm. The New York state legislature gives the most resounding victory to Democrats since the Civil War.
Likewise, taking advantage of the momentum of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the push from veteran Senator Bernie Sanders, Democratic Socialists of America will have an important voice in Congress next year, with at least five additional seats in the House of Representatives, adding to those of popular Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. Additionally, Angela Gonzales-Torres and Mai Vang, backed but not members of the DSA, have chances in California, where the counting will be eternal. A force to be reckoned with.
Democrats retained Georgia in the Senate, thanks to the clear victory of John Ossoff, one of the possible candidates in 2028. They quickly won New Hampshire, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. And at 8:30 PM local time, they also added North Carolina. At that moment, just an hour or two after some polling places began to close, they controlled 43 of the 100 seats, compared to 31 for Republicans and 26 still in play. But victories continued to cascade. Including Chris Pappas, the first openly gay man, in New Hampshire.
The first flip for the Democrats was Roy Cooper, who reclaimed the mentioned seat in North Carolina for his party. Of all the important ones, this was surely the clearest of the night, but that doesn't make it any less significant, as it had been almost 20 years since the blues won there. Then came the even more incredible result in South Carolina, where the sister of the late Lindsey Graham was unable to retain the seat that hadn't changed color since 1966. Two defeats of enormous symbolism following the direct involvement of the president, who does not accept any responsibility and does not regret his appointments.
Trump's supporters held Florida, Wyoming, and West Virginia, and later Oklahoma and Kentucky, in the stronghold of the retired Mitch McConnell, the majority leader for the last quarter-century before falling out of favor with Trump. They bolstered Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. But they suffered much more than expected in Louisiana and even Mississippi. However, they did not threaten any rival strongholds, except for Michigan, so they could only hope for a miracle to maintain a slim majority.
Other Democratic presidential hopefuls, who are always mentioned in the predictions, also managed to renew their gubernatorial positions. Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, JB Pritzker in Illinois, and Wes Moore in Maryland. In addition to Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, the first Black woman to be governor in the entire history of the United States. And Gina Hinojosa, with a spectacular victory in Texas.
Meanwhile, in Florida, where there hasn't been a Democratic governor since 1999, Trumpist Byron Williams narrowly won. A very strong warning. Until the end of the last century, Florida was always a swing state, the one that actually decided the presidency of George W. Bush. But since then, thanks in large part to the Latino vote, it had become an absolute Republican stronghold. Until now. Democratic congress members managed to win even in districts that had been brutally redrawn to favor the president's party. And the scare was another important warning.