Democrats win House majority after flipping the chamber from Republicans on Tuesday in a midterm election that France 24 described as a nationwide rejection of President Donald Trump. According to Al Jazeera, the result was called in favour of Democrats late on Tuesday night, local time.
Democrats needed to gain five seats to flip the House, which Republicans had held since the 2022 midterms, according to Al Jazeera. Republicans had also held a political trifecta in Washington for the last two years, with the presidency and both chambers of Congress.
Christian Science Monitor US reported that Democrats also won control of the Senate and a decisive House majority. If confirmed, it would be the first time both chambers flipped in a midterm since 2006. The same outlet reported that Senate seats in Alaska and Mississippi were too close to call at the time of writing.
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries of New York will likely be selected as speaker, which would make him the first Black person to hold the role, according to Al Jazeera. The speaker has not yet been confirmed by a vote.
Christian Science Monitor US reported a 228-139 Democratic lead in the House at the time of writing, with 68 races still undecided. No final tally has been published in the sources reviewed.
Christian Science Monitor US reported that voters were especially unhappy with the economy. Exit polls showed that 62% of voters said they disapproved of President Trump, and nearly two-thirds of respondents said his policies had worsened economic conditions.
Trump said on Fox News that "the Democrats did a good job." In a Truth Social post, he said he would accept the results.
The main gaps are that the Senate outcome and the final House margin are not yet settled, and the Senate control claim rests on Christian Science Monitor US alone. The description of the result as a rejection of Trump comes only from France 24, in a video summary without full detail. No official response from House Republican leadership or Speaker Mike Johnson is included in the sources.
Remaining House and Senate races are still being counted, and a speaker vote is expected. The 120th Congress is set to be sworn in on January 3, 2027.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.