Democrats Deliver Historic Senate Takeover in Midterms

Clear Facts

• Democrats captured control of both the Senate and House in the 2026 midterms.
• James Talarico defeated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton while Gina Hinojosa unseated Governor Greg Abbott.
• President Trump’s approval rating stood at 36 percent with 74 percent of voters rating the economy negatively.

Analysts had anticipated Democratic gains, yet the final margins exceeded even the most ambitious forecasts.

Texas delivered two decisive upsets in a state that President Trump won by double digits two years earlier.

“A Fox News poll in October showed Talarico and Paxton nearly tied, with Abbott leading Hinojosa.”

Both races broke late for the Democratic candidates, with Talarico finishing at 53.9 percent to Paxton’s 44.2 percent and Hinojosa securing a nearly 7-point victory.

Nationwide, voters expressed dissatisfaction with economic conditions and the direction of the country under President Trump.

“A Fox News poll found Trump’s approval at 36%, while 74% of voters rated the economy negatively.”

The ripple effects reached into traditionally Republican territory, producing Senate wins for Democrats in Kansas, South Carolina, and Maine.

Adam Hamilton’s victory in Kansas ended a 94-year Republican hold on the seat, while Annie Andrews defeated the appointed successor to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina.

In Maine, five-term Sen. Susan Collins lost to Troy Jackson in a race long considered competitive but ultimately decided by a six-point margin.

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