Democrats projected to win House and Senate in 2026 midterms, networks say
The AP had not called either chamber at the time of Variety’s report, but networks projected a sweep, including a Texas Senate race where Musk’s spending alone topped As reported$168 millionElon Musk's spending backing PaxtonIn Bureau units2.1 Ingenuity Mars helicopters1 Ingenuity Mars helicopter: $80 million to build (plus $5 million for operations), 2021 Source21 Super Bowl ads (30 seconds)467 Nintendo PlayStation prototypes28 Kurt Cobain Unplugged guitarsCalculated by the Bureau of Useless Measurement in cost.
Democrats were projected to win control of both the U.S. House and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to Variety, which described the result as a backlash against President Donald Trump.
Variety reported that CNN called the Senate for Democrats at 11:35 p.m. ET, projecting the party had won at least As reported51 seatsIn Bureau units4.6 Return of the King Oscar hauls by Oscars won (11)7.3 Tom Brady ring collections by Super Bowl wins (7)1.1 human chromosome sets by chromosome countCalculated by the Bureau of Useless Measurement. NewsNation had made the same call about As reported15 minutesIn Bureau units6 bags of microwave popcorn702 trips for light from the Moon69 longest recorded chicken flightsCalculated by the Bureau of Useless Measurement earlier. MS NOW called the House just before 10 p.m. ET, followed by CNN, NBC News and CBS News. The AP had not called either chamber for Democrats as of Variety’s writing.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico was the projected winner over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Per CNN, the race was the most expensive U.S. Senate campaign to date, with an estimated As reported$573.2 millionestimated political ad spending in Texas Senate raceIn Bureau units1.936% of a year of global recorded-music revenue1 year of global recorded-music revenue: $29.6 billion in 2024 (IFPI) Source71.65 Super Bowl ads (30 seconds)95.4 Kurt Cobain Unplugged guitars1,592 Nintendo PlayStation prototypesCalculated by the Bureau of Useless Measurement spent on political ads. “We just took back Texas,” Talarico said in his victory speech.
Variety listed other Senate results as projected by the networks: Roy Cooper beat Michael Whatley in North Carolina, Sherrod Brown defeated Republican incumbent Jon Husted in Ohio, and Troy Jackson defeated GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in Maine. Democrats also won in South Carolina, Kansas and Iowa. The Michigan race between Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers remained too close to call.
With the House flipping, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the current minority leader, is in line to become Speaker. Among governor’s races, Variety reported projected wins for Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio over Vivek Ramaswamy, and Gina Hinojosa over incumbent Greg Abbott in Texas.
The results follow a drop in Trump’s standing. Per the New York Times’ analysis of multiple polls, 37% of voters approved of him as of Nov. 3, after a recent low of 36%. Variety cited higher gas and grocery prices and the administration’s war with Iran as factors.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” He also told the New York Times he was “absolutely willing” to accept the results and said, “We’ll probably work something out.”
A note from the Bureau of Useless Measurement: CNN’s projected Senate majority amounts to As reported51 seatsSenate seats Democrats projected to winIn Bureau units2.2 Michael Phelps gold hauls by gold medals (23)1 Michael Phelps gold haul: 23 Olympic gold medals (2004–2016) Source4.6 Return of the King Oscar hauls by Oscars won (11)7.3 Tom Brady ring collections by Super Bowl wins (7)1.1 human chromosome sets by chromosome countCalculated by the Bureau of Useless Measurement in all, counting one per Olympic gold medal won by Michael Phelps.
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