Democrats Retake House Control
Voters in red states flipped key Senate seats and elected a new generation of officials amid record disapproval of the president.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Democrats will control the U.S. House of Representatives following the November 3 midterm elections, according to ABC News projections. The party flipped at least a dozen House seats and secured enough victories to take the lower chamber.
The lower chamber sees all 435 seats up for election. Republicans currently hold 220 seats, while Democrats hold 215. Democrats needed to gain at least three seats to shift the balance of power. They also flipped at least six Senate seats, including in Republican strongholds such as Kansas and South Carolina.
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Governor Greg Abbott, denying him a fourth term. Hinojosa is the first Democrat to win a Texas statewide race in over 30 years. In the Texas Senate race, Democrat James Talarico defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton. Talarico will become the first Democrat to win a Texas U.S. Senate election since 1988.
Other major Senate wins included Annie Andrews in South Carolina, who defeated incumbent Darline Graham. Andrews is projected to become the first woman elected to the Senate from that state. Roy Cooper won the North Carolina Senate race against Michael Whatley. In Georgia, incumbent Jon Ossoff defeated Mike Collins. In Maine, Susan Collins conceded to Troy Jackson after 30 years in office. In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Roger Marshall.
Polling data from the ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos panel shows Trump's approval rating at 37%, the lowest of his second term. His disapproval rating reached a record high of 62%. About 65% of Americans disapprove of how he is handling the economy. This figure matches the worst economy rating for President Joe Biden in September 2023.
Trump posted on X that he was not on the ballot and claimed his side would have won in a landslide. In a phone interview with The New York Times, he said he is willing to accept the results and work with Democrats. He also posted a photo of a hat with the word VETO on it. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become Speaker, said the party will push for dramatic reform of the Supreme Court.
Democrats are aiming to elect at least 100 women to the House, which would set a new record. Currently, 125 women hold House seats, including 95 Democrats and 30 Republicans. The 14 toss-up House races included districts in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Seven of those races featured Democratic women as candidates.
