Democrats are projected to win control of the United States Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, giving the party control of both chambers of Congress, according to projections by NBC News and Decision Desk HQ. The Associated Press also reported that Democrats had won enough Senate seats to run the chamber, as results from Tuesday’s voting continued to be counted on Wednesday.
Democrats entered the election needing a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate. The projected flips in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Kansas and Iowa gave them that majority, with at least 51 seats projected, according to the projections reported by USA Today and The Times.
FAKTA: Democrats win US Senate
- Projected result: Democrats win US Senate control in the 2026 midterms, according to NBC News and Decision Desk HQ projections.
- Seats flipped: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Kansas and Iowa.
- What was needed: A net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber.
- Still uncalled: The Senate race in Michigan remained too close to call.
- Next step: The new Senate majority will take office with the new Congress in January.
- Status of results: These are projections based on counted votes, not final certified results.
How the Democrats win US Senate majority took shape
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, according to the projections. USA Today reported that Talarico is the first Democrat to win a Texas Senate seat since 1988. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, who had been appointed to the seat.
In North Carolina, former governor Roy Cooper won the seat being vacated by a retiring Republican senator, while in Ohio former senator Sherrod Brown returned to the chamber by defeating Republican Jon Husted, according to the reported projections.
The projections also gave Democrats wins in Kansas, where Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Roger Marshall, and in Iowa, where Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson. USA Today reported that Hamilton is projected to be the first Democrat to win a Kansas Senate seat since 1932.
What changes in Washington
Control of the Senate gives Democrats a greater say over legislation and over the confirmation of senior government officials and judges, including for any future Supreme Court vacancy. The party had already been projected to retake the House of Representatives earlier in the counting, so the Senate result completes a projected Democratic majority in both chambers.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer welcomed the projected result, saying: “We have five words for the American people. Relief is on the way.” The current Republican majorities remain in place until the new Congress takes office in January.
What remains undecided
The Senate race in Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is running against Republican Mike Rogers, remained too close to call, with counting still under way. USA Today reported that El-Sayed was leading with about 65 percent of the vote counted at the time of the report.
All of the results reported here are projections from news organisations based on votes counted so far. Official certification follows later through the state authorities responsible for each election.
More news from the region is available on the Americas news page.
