'This is a disaster': Angry Republicans blame Trump for midterms defeat

Since 1934, the party in the White House has only gained seats in three midterm elections. While the Democratic gains in 2026 did not set a record, the party did win dozens of House races, state governor contests and Senate seats, including in states where the party had not been competitive for decades.

Before Tuesday, Democrats had not won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932, and had not won a statewide race in Texas in more than three decades. The party also notched surprise upsets in other reliably red states like South Carolina that were thought to be safe seats for Republicans just weeks before Election Day.