Democrats have taken both chambers of Congress, according to AP's live updates on PBS, which puts the party in charge of the House and the Senate at once. That decides who writes and funds federal law, so it reaches every reader, though nothing in your life changes overnight.
What is settled: AP reports the House and Senate result, and CBS says Democrats have enough wins for at least 54 Senate seats. What is not settled: Alaska and Mississippi Senate races were still open Wednesday morning, and dozens of House races were undetermined. What happens next: CBS projects Democrats take Senate control in January, and AP says Democrats will hold at least 27 governorships in 2027.
Existing laws stay in force until the new Congress passes something and a president signs it. The sources give no exact calendar dates for the election count or for seating the new Congress beyond January, so this edition states none.
Democrats win control of Congress
What happened. AP reports Democrats won the House as well as the Senate, per its live updates on PBS. AP lists Senate seats flipped in Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina. In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins conceded to Democrat Troy Jackson, ending her bid for a sixth term. AP also reports Democrats flipped three of Iowa's four House seats, all previously Republican.
Who it affects. Voters in those states get new representation, and the national balance of power shifts. The two sources describe the Senate differently: AP says Democrats won it, while CBS projects the takeover in January and says Democrats have secured at least 54 seats. CBS also projects Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's race and will be the first Muslim senator.
What comes next. The change of Senate control comes in January, per CBS, and El-Sayed noted the vice president swears him in then. The House count is not final: CBS estimates Democrats could hold between 251 and 268 seats once every vote is counted.
Democrats win a majority of governorships
What happened. AP says Democrats won most governorships for the first time in two decades. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa beat Gov. Greg Abbott, in a state where no Democrat had won statewide since 1994. Keisha Lance Bottoms won in Georgia and is the first Black woman elected governor in the U.S., per AP.
Who it affects. Residents of those states get new chief executives. Bottoms will succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who was barred from a third term, and PBS reports Republicans were favored to keep the Georgia state Senate. PBS also reports Amy Acton won in Ohio, the first Democrat to do so in 20 years. Republicans held Florida, where Byron Donalds defeated David Jolly, per AP.
What comes next. AP says Democrats will hold at least 27 governorships in 2027. State laws and budgets stay under current governors until then.
Two Senate races remain undecided
What happened. Alaska and Mississippi were still unresolved Wednesday morning, and CBS rated both toss-ups. In Alaska, the contest between Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola is tight, and counting could take time.
Who it affects. Voters in both states do not yet know their senator. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 43 votes, per CBS, a gap small enough to shift as counting continues.
What comes next. Counting continues in both states, and the sources give no date for a final call. The results would change the size of the Senate majority, though CBS says Democrats have already secured at least 54 seats.
Trump and Thune state their positions
What happened. Trump told CBS he is willing to work with Democrats, and said that if that does not happen he would veto everything, CBS reports. The report does not say what working together would involve or define the condition.
Who it affects. Senate Majority Leader Thune said Republicans will resist Democratic efforts to unwind their work when control changes hands in the new year, according to CBS. That is a stated Republican position; the report does not describe a specific Democratic proposal.
What comes next. A veto lets a president reject a bill Congress has passed. Both statements describe how Republicans plan to approach the next Congress, and neither changes any law now.
Johnson will not seek minority leader post
What happened. CBS cites a source saying House Speaker Mike Johnson does not plan to run for minority leader in the new Congress. The report does not name who might seek the job.
Who it affects. With Democrats winning the House, per AP, Republicans would need a leader for their minority. Because the report rests on one unnamed source, it is not an official announcement.
What comes next. The new Congress follows the change of control, and the sources give no date for a Republican leadership vote.
Quick answers
Who controls Congress after the midterms?
AP reports Democrats won both the House and the Senate. CBS projects the Senate change of control in January.
Which races are still undecided?
Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi were unresolved Wednesday morning, and dozens of House races were undetermined as of CBS's update.
When does any of this take effect?
CBS projects the Senate change in January, and AP says Democrats will hold at least 27 governorships in 2027. No law changes overnight.
Sources
- Live Updates: Voters hand control of Congress to Democrats in sharp rebuke of Trump | PBS News
- 2026 Senate midterm election results as Democrats win control, with 2 races outstanding
- 2026 midterm election results as Democrats decisively win control of House and Senate
- Democrats win governorships in Texas and other GOP-controlled states in rebuke to Republicans | PBS News
- Live Results: Amy Acton wins governor race in Ohio | PBS News
- Live Results: Keisha Lance Bottoms wins governor race in Georgia | PBS News