Photo credit: Annie Andrews for Senate
By BallotWire
11/04/2026
The Wire: Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, flipping seven Republican-held seats in Texas, Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina. The Associated Press called the chamber late Tuesday following Democrat Josh Turek’s victory in Iowa, giving Democrats a majority for the first time since 2024.
Why it counts: Republicans entered Election Day with a 53-47 majority. Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control, since Vice President JD Vance would break ties in a 50-50 Senate. The victories give Democrats control of the chamber’s legislative agenda, committee investigations, and confirmation process for federal judges and administration nominees.
The historic wins: Several Democratic victories broke decades-long Republican winning streaks.
Kansas: Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Senator Roger Marshall, becoming the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932.
Texas: James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, delivering Democrats their first statewide victory in Texas since 1994.
South Carolina: Annie Andrews defeated appointed Republican Senator Darline Graham, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate election in the state since 1998.
North Carolina: Former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley, securing the party’s first Senate victory in the state since 2008.
Maine: Troy Jackson unseated five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins, ending the Republican Party’s remaining congressional representation in New England.
Ohio: Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Senator Jon Husted, reclaiming the seat he lost in 2024.
Iowa: Democrat Josh Turek won a Republican-held Senate seat, helping secure the party’s majority.
Democrats also defended two closely watched seats. Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia, defeating Republican Mike Collins, while Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s open Senate race. In New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.
What drove it: Economic concerns dominated the election. A CNN exit poll found that roughly 90% of voters considered the cost of living a crucial or major factor, while approximately 60% disapproved of President Trump’s job performance. Democratic candidates also benefited from substantial shifts among voters in traditionally Republican states.
Still outstanding: Alaska’s Senate race remains uncalled. If no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for November 18. Senate races in Nebraska and Mississippi also remain unresolved.
Looking ahead: Democrats will take control of the Senate in January, giving the party the power to block judicial nominations, conduct investigations and challenge the Trump administration’s agenda.