Democrats have seized control of both chambers of the United States Congress in a sweeping midterm election defeat for President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, setting up two years of divided government and a more assertive challenge to his administration.
The victories in Tuesday’s elections, which included flipping at least seven Republican-held Senate seats and more than two dozen House districts, have handed Democrats control of the legislative branch for the first time since Trump returned to the White House.
The outcome represents a major reversal of fortunes for Republicans, who entered the election controlling both chambers, and gives Democrats the power to block legislation, scrutinise presidential appointments, and launch investigations into the administration during the final two years of Trump’s term.
Democrats made decisive gains in states that had been considered safe Republican territory, including Texas, South Carolina, Kansas and Iowa.
They also captured Senate seats in Ohio, North Carolina and Maine, overturning the Republican majority that stood at 53 to 47 before the election.
In the House of Representatives, Democrats swept the key competitive races, with gains extending into traditionally conservative districts.
An Associated Press tally reported by Al Jazeera put the party at 228 seats won, with leads in another 34, leaving it on course for a potentially historic majority.
The scale of the defeat prompted an immediate reckoning within the Republican Party, with House Speaker Mike Johnson informing aides that he would not seek to lead the party’s conference in the minority.
Republican Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio has indicated that he will seek the leadership position, arguing that the party must adopt a more aggressive approach to its opposition role.
The election also exposed divisions within the Trump administration over the causes of the Republican collapse, particularly the unpopular war with Iran.
Vice President JD Vance blamed war, which has been described as a war of choice of the Trump administration, for the party’s losses, saying in a social media post: “The reason we lost is the war.”
He wrote: “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost.”
His comments marked a notable departure from Trump’s defence of the military action. The President said Vance’s assessment was “largely true” but insisted that, given the choice, he would not have changed his decision.
However, preliminary ABC News voter polling suggested that the election backlash extended beyond the war.
