House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that Democrats will deliver change following projected victories in the 2026 midterm elections, which NBC News projects have given the Democratic Party control of both the House and Senate. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, D.C., Jeffries described the outcome as an "American tsunami" and projected that Democrats will win at least 255 seats in the House, a majority he characterized as "historic" for the 21st century. The projections mark a significant shift from the Republican majority held during the 119th Congress, with NBC News and CBS News calling races in states including Ohio, Michigan, and Texas for Democratic candidates.
What the Right Is Saying
President Trump reacted to the projected losses by highlighting stock market performance, noting that the Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 were up in the days following the election. "Stock Market just hit another Record High — 91 Days in just a short period of time — Less than two years," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that 401(k)s were "through the roof." The president did not explicitly connect these market gains to the Republican electoral defeats, instead focusing on his construction projects at the White House.
Within the Republican Party, leadership transitions are underway. Speaker Mike Johnson has told staff he will not run for minority leader after the GOP losses. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan announced his candidacy for minority leader, arguing he is "battle-tested" to lead against an "emboldened and energetic Democrat majority." "For too long, we have operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of us," Jordan wrote in a letter to colleagues.
Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, endorsed Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the war in Iran was a primary driver for the Republican defeat. In a post on X, Trump Jr. wrote, "Every word of this is 💯💯💯," supporting the view that foreign policy decisions negatively impacted the party's performance. Additionally, outgoing Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger is challenging House Majority Whip Tom Emmer for the minority whip position, stating that Republicans need "fresh ideas" to rebuild for the 2028 election.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic leaders framed the election as a rejection of Republican policies and a mandate for legislative action on economic issues. Jeffries stated, "We've been relentlessly focused on affordability and on accountability," while explicitly noting that he has not had a single member of the House Democratic Caucus discuss impeaching President Trump. "I think our responsibility is to focus on issues and legislation that could make a material difference in working people's lives right now," said Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, a Colorado Democrat, who argued that impeachment lacks a clear path to removal.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared the election a "generational remake of the Senate map" and vowed to hold the administration accountable. "The days of Trump's supplicant Senate are over," Schumer said, pledging to "entangle" the president in "legislative razor wire" through investigations and legal challenges if he defies the will of the American people. Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, outlined a specific legislative agenda that includes reversing Medicaid cuts, restoring ACA tax credits, stopping Trump tariffs, and halting the war in Iran.
Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, who won reelection, described the victory as a blueprint for winning in tough swing states. "We are a big tent party... we elected candidates who could compete everywhere, who attracted the support of Republicans and independents along with Democrats," Shapiro said. He credited the recruitment of "get-stuff-done Democrats" for the successes in his state, where four House GOP incumbents were ousted.
What the Numbers Show
NBC News projects that Democrats have won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Jeffries stated that Democrats will win "at least 255 seats," which he noted would be a "historic majority in the 21st century." For context, the largest majority held by either party in recent history was in the 111th Congress in 2009, when Democrats held 257 seats. Rep. Suzane DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, highlighted that the victory was notable not just for the seat count, but for how far Democrats reached into "deep-red territory."
CBS News exit polls indicated that economic issues were a decisive factor. Those who said the economy was bad voted for Democrats for the House, according to the polls. Specific races called by NBC News or CBS News include Democrat Sherrod Brown winning the Ohio Senate race, Adam Hamilton winning in Kansas, Troy Jackson in Maine, and El-Sayed in Michigan. In Texas, NBC News projects that Democrat James Talarico won the Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa won the governor's race. In Ohio, Amy Acton was projected to win the governor's seat.
In the House, CBS News projected several Republican incumbent losses. Rep. Victoria Spartz lost to Democrat J.D. Ford in Indiana's 5th District, a race the Cook Political Report had rated as lean Republican. Rep. Mike Carey lost to Democrat Don Leonard in Ohio's 15th District, and Rep. Ann Wagner lost to Democrat Fred Wellman in Missouri's 2nd District. The race between Democrat Scott Colom and incumbent GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi remains uncalled, with CBS News rating it a toss-up and Colom leading by several dozen votes as of Wednesday morning.
The Bottom Line
The projected Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress sets the stage for a period of intense legislative and oversight activity. With the House Democratic Caucus signaling a focus on economic legislation and investigations rather than immediate impeachment, and Senate leadership pledging to challenge the administration's agenda, the balance of power in Washington has shifted. Key watch items include the final certification of results in close races like Mississippi's Senate contest, the internal Republican leadership elections for minority leader and whip, and the Democratic Party's ability to pass its stated priorities on healthcare, tariffs, and foreign policy. All seat counts and winners cited are projections by NBC News and CBS News and are subject to change as final votes are counted.