Blue wave: Democrats wrest full control of Congress, 'Mr Veto' Trump goes into lame-duck presidency

Democrats wrested full control of Congress in the US midterm elections of November 3, winning House and Senate races and flipping states even in traditional Republican strongholds, in a 'Blue wave' helped by Donald Trump's deep unpopularity, partly due to the Iran war and other foreign policy missteps, making him enter a lame-duck presidency during which he promised to be 'Mr Veto'. Democrats were well past the 218-seat majority mark in the House of Representatives, having won or being ahead in 222 seats against 130 for Republicans at the time of writing. In the Senate, Democrats won 53 seats, two past the majority mark of 51, with Republicans at 42 and five races yet to be called. With 36 of the 50 US states holding governor elections, the midterms will result in 25 Democratic governors against 19 Republicans, while six are yet to be called. Several Indian-American candidates won, mostly for the Democratic Party, while Republican Vivek Ramaswamy lost the governor race in Ohio.
As more results and projections showed Democrats winning across states on the ballot from east to west, Trump posted a picture on social media that said 'VETO', meaning he would block Democratic legislation in the remaining two years of his term. Though he dismissed suggestions that the polls were a referendum on him, despite earlier asking voters to assume he was on the ballot, the midterms were a rebuke of his presidency across domestic, foreign and economic policies. He congratulated the Democrats on doing a good job.

Records tumbled across House, Senate, state house and local races, with candidates in the news over their race, religion or sexual orientation winning. More than any great achievement by the Democrats, it was Trump's falling ratings and his combative stance against the media that contributed to his party's major loss.

Also read: US midterm elections 2026 results: Who won and who lost the key Senate and House races | FULL LIST

Key winners and history makers

Democrat Hakeem Jeffries is poised to become the first African American Speaker of the House of Representatives. Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim American, won Michigan's US Senate race. Ilhan Omar won Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race after months of the Trump administration targeting her over an alleged sham marriage to her brother and claims of healthcare fraud.
Democrat David Crowley made history as Wisconsin's first Black governor, defeating Republican businessman Tom Tiffany.
Democrat Troy Jackson unseated Republican Senator Susan Collins of Main, ending the 30-year run of the last remaining Republican member of Congress from New England.
Josh Turek, a Paralympian and Democratic state representative, flipped Iowa's open Senate seat, defeating third-term Republican Representative Ashley Hinson in a top battleground race.
Democrat Adam Hamilton, a pastor, flipped Kansas by defeating incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall. This is the first time since 1932 that Kansas elected a Democratic senator.
In the shock of the night, Texas Governor Greg Abbott lost to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar won Minnesota's governor race against Republican Lisa Demuth, becoming the first woman elected governor in the state's history.
Indian-origin Democrats Ro Khanna and Suhas Subramanyam, from Virginia, won re-election to the US House.

Chris Pappas made history as the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate.
Sherrod Brown defeated Jon Husted, JD Vance's successor, flipping Ohio's Senate seat for the Democrats.
South Carolina elected a Democratic senator for the first time in almost three decades, with Annie Andrews winning the seat that became vacant after the death of Trump ally Lindsey Graham.
Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Georgia governor race, on course to become the first Black woman governor in US history.
Juliana Stratton made history as only the second Black woman elected to the US Senate from Illinois.

Also read: US Midterms 2026 Election Highlights: Democrats eye first election flip as Limtiaco leads in Guam

Trump enters lame-duck presidency as Iran, the country on the ballot indirectly, reacts

Trump said he was prepared to veto Democratic legislation if necessary, and welcomed the moniker 'Mr Veto'. Speaking to CBS News, he said: "I have the ultimate power — it's called 'veto'"
In other media interviews, he acknowledged that the Iran war has contributed to the Republican losses.
He said the US had no immediate plan to strike Iran, while adding that the forces are 'locked and loaded' if required. Iran's Parliament Speaker commented on the midterms, saying “Americans said no to war, and we endorse this message.”