Photo credit: Scott Colom for Senate
By BallotWire
11/13/2026
Where Things Stand
More than a week after Election Day, the 2026 midterm results are coming into focus, with Democrats securing majorities in both chambers of Congress and expanding their control of governorships nationwide.
In the U.S. Senate, Democrats have secured 55 seats, flipping eight Republican-held seats, following Scott Colom’s victory over Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi. Hyde-Smith conceded Wednesday after election officials reviewed the final outstanding ballots.
Colom becomes Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction, the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from the state since 1982.
Alaska remains the only uncalled U.S. Senate race. Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan but remains below the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for November 18 if no candidate receives a majority. A Peltola victory would bring Democrats to 56 seats.
In the U.S. House, Democrats have won 255 seats to Republicans’ 170, with nine races still uncalled. That’s up from 249 Democratic seats last Friday, when 28 contests remained undecided.
Of the nine uncalled U.S. House races, Democratic candidates lead in five: Colorado's 4th District, Minnesota's 1st, North Carolina's 3rd and 5th, and Tennessee's 4th. Republicans lead in three: North Carolina's 7th, California's 23rd, and Alaska's at-large district.
The remaining race, California's 4th District, features two Democrats, ensuring the party will retain the seat. Recounts remain possible in closely contested races in Minnesota and North Carolina.
In the governor’s races, Democrats have secured 29 governorships, including a hold in Kansas, where Democrat Cindy Holscher defeated Republican Ty Masterson.
Alaska remains the only gubernatorial race the Associated Press has not yet called, although CNN
projected Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins the winner Thursday night.
Kreiss-Tomkins leads Republican Bernadette Wilson, approximately 50.1% to 28.7%, narrowly exceeding the majority needed to avoid ranked-choice tabulation. Ballots are still being counted, with the next major update expected November 18.
If the result holds, Democrats will control 30 governorships nationwide.
The Majority Runs Through the South
With Scott Colom's victory in Mississippi, Democrats have flipped four Southern U.S. Senate seats, accounting for half of their eight pickups nationwide and playing a decisive role in securing their majority.
Democrats Break Decades of Republican Dominance
Scott Colom’s victory in Mississippi capped a remarkable election for Southern Democrats. The party flipped U.S. Senate seats in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi while successfully defending Georgia. Each victory marked a significant break from decades of Republican dominance.
Before this year, Texas had not elected a Democratic senator since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988. South Carolina last elected one in 1998, when Fritz Hollings won reelection, and North Carolina had not done so since Kay Hagan’s 2008 victory. Mississippi’s drought stretched back to 1982. Colom also became the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.
Georgia was already in Democratic hands, but the results were just as striking. Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff defeated Republican U.S. Representative Mike Collins by approximately 18 points, while Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship, 54.3% to 45.7%. Democratic support held remarkably steady across both statewide races.
Louisiana Nearly Joined the List
Democrats also came close to an upset in Louisiana, where Republican U.S. Representative Julia Letlow narrowly defeated Democrat Jamie Davis, 50.9% to 49.1%, in the U.S. Senate election. Trump carried the state by 22 points in 2024.
Democratic gains were not limited to the U.S. Senate
The party also made significant gains in U.S. House races across the South, defeating Republican incumbents and capturing previously Republican-held districts.
In North Carolina, Democrats Cyril Jefferson, Richard Ojeda, Paul Barringer and Lakesha Womack defeated Republican U.S. Representatives Addison McDowell, Richard Hudson, Brad Knott and Tim Moore. Democrat Jamie Ager also captured the open 11th Congressional District, held by Republican U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards.
In Virginia, Democrat Shannon Taylor unseated Republican U.S. Representative Rob Wittman, while former Democratic U.S. Representative Elaine Luria defeated Republican U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans.
Texas Democrats also flipped Republican-held seats, with Bobby Pulido defeating U.S. Representative Monica De La Cruz and Katy Padilla Stout winning the open 23rd Congressional District.
In South Carolina, Democrat Nancy Lacore defeated Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt in the open 1st Congressional District, held by Republican U.S. Representative Nancy Mace.
Democrats also gained ground in Kentucky, where Zach Dembo won the open 6th Congressional District.
Before 2028, There’s 2027: The South’s Next Political Test
Following their gains in the 2026 midterms, Democrats will have another opportunity to test their strength in the South when Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana elect governors in 2027. Recent statewide elections suggest the party can compete even in states that support Republicans in presidential contests.
Kentucky offers one example. Donald Trump carried the state by 30 points in 2024, yet Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won reelection by 5 points in 2023.
Mississippi showed a similar divide. Trump won the state by nearly 23 points in 2024, while Republican Governor Tate Reeves had won reelection by just 3 points the previous year.
North Carolina provided another example in 2024, when Democrat Josh Stein won the governor’s race by nearly 15 points even as Trump carried the state by about 3 points.
Louisiana, however, followed a different course in 2023. Republican Jeff Landry won the governorship by approximately 25 points, while Trump carried the state by about 22 points the following year. Still, Louisiana has a recent history of electing Democrats statewide. Democrat John Bel Edwards won the governorship in 2015 and secured reelection in 2019, serving two terms before Landry took office in 2024.
The 2027 elections in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana will offer an early indication of whether Democrats can build on their 2026 gains and translate their recent success in Southern congressional races into additional statewide victories.
Four States Have Certified Their Election Results, With More to Follow
Delaware, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming are among the first states to certify their 2026 general election results.
Several more states are expected to follow over the next week. Florida’s certification deadline falls 14 days after Election Day, while Georgia is scheduled to certify on the 17th day. Virginia and Kentucky also have deadlines tied to the third Monday in November, placing them among the next states to watch.
Why Certification Matters
Certification establishes official election results after required canvassing and verification procedures, though legally authorized recounts or corrections can still occur.
As states certify, we’ll continue adding official results to our core BallotWire resources:
Election Results Archive: Explore detailed election results for federal, statewide, and state legislative races, including offices such as attorney general and secretary of state.
State legislative results are particularly important this year, with Democrats flipping control of 12 chambers, marking one of the largest shifts in state legislative power in more than a decade.
U.S. Election Results & Maps Since 2000: Explore interactive Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and Governor election maps and compare state and county-level voting results across election cycles dating back to 2000.
As official results become available, we’ll expand our historical records and interactive maps, giving readers a clearer picture of the 2026 elections and how voting patterns have changed over time.