Democrats Take Both Chambers and Key Governorships in 2026 Midterms

The United States has entered the final two years of President Trump's term with a divided government and a new Democratic majority in both houses of Congress.

Voters flipped Republican-held Senate seats in several of the nation's most conservative states, a sharp reversal from the 2024 election cycle. This victory gave Democrats control of the Senate alongside the House, along with key governorships and state legislatures.

Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told NPR's Morning Edition that the results represent the party's strongest performance in the last one hundred years.

"This was a change election, and Americans sent a very clear message that they're looking for leaders who are fighting for them, not just the wealthy and well-connected," Martin said.

Martin stated that voters issued a mandate to address affordability, health care, and what he described as a system favoring wealthy Americans. He acknowledged that opposition to President Trump drove much of the turnout, but he argued that Democrats also won by presenting a positive vision.

"Our candidates across the board ran for something, not against something," he said. "They gave people a sense of a positive vision of what Democrats would do while we're in power."

With Trump retaining his veto power, the path to enacting new policy remains complex. Martin said the party's control of Congress and state governments gives it strong negotiating power, even as legislative battles await.