Double Loss for Trump: Democrats Regain Control of Congress

The Democratic Party has seized control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to projections from 'Decision Desk HQ' and media outlets, ending four years in the minority. This follows their success in flipping a number of Republican-held seats, a development that represents a political blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Election results and projections showed Democrats leading in legislative races amidst rising public anger over the US administration's performance, economic conditions, and rising prices. A large segment of voters saw the election as an opportunity to express their opposition to Trump and his policies.

According to the announced results, 236 seats in the House of Representatives have been decided, with 168 going to Democrats versus 91 to Republicans. Meanwhile, 28 Senate seats have been decided, with Democrats winning 20 of them compared to 8 for the Republicans.

Among the most notable seats flipped by the Democrats was Zack Dembow's win for the 6th district seat in Kentucky, after defeating his Republican opponent, a gain that helped secure the party's majority in the House.

In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated her Republican opponent Lindsey Graham in one of the election's notable results. Additionally, Democrat Roy Cooper, the former governor of North Carolina, won a Senate seat for the state, flipping a seat previously held by Republican Thom Tillis. Cooper led his Republican rival Michael Whatley by a 32-percentage-point margin, according to projections made with more than half the votes counted.

In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff held onto his seat in one of the election's most significant outcomes, after the race was previously seen as a potential opportunity for Republicans to flip the seat. In a speech to his supporters after his victory, Ossoff said the Democratic wins reflect voters' rejection of what he described as the "decay, corruption, and incompetence" embodied by President Donald Trump.

Conversely, 'Decision Desk HQ' projected Republican Ashley Moody would win the Senate seat for Florida, leading Democrat Angie Nixon in a close race. Republican Kevin Hern also won the Senate seat for Oklahoma, holding it for his party.

In the House of Representatives, Democrat Rebecca Bennett achieved a notable victory, flipping New Jersey's 7th district seat from Republican Thomas Kean Jr. Dr. Adam Hamwi, an American of Egyptian descent, also won a seat in the House after participating in the treatment of those injured in the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Palestinian-American Representative Rashida Tlaib and Muslim Representative André Carson retained their seats. Democrat Hakeem Jeffries was re-elected for New York's 8th district.

In Florida, Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz retained her seat for the 20th district, and Democrats Oliver Gilbert and Lois Frankel won the seats for the 24th and 23rd districts, respectively. Conversely, Republicans Jim Schwartzel and Greg Steube won the seats for the 19th and 17th districts, and Republican John Rutherford won for the 5th district.

In Georgia, Democrats won four House seats through Jasmine Clark, Nikema Williams, Lucy McBath, and Henry Johnson. Democrats Joyce Beatty, Emilia Sykes, and Shontel Brown also secured seats for the 3rd, 13th, and 11th districts in Ohio.

The results also included a win for Democrat Morgan McGarvey for Kentucky's 3rd district, and Democrat Becca Balint for Vermont's sole seat, while Republican Ed Gallrein won a seat in Kentucky with Trump's endorsement.

In Pennsylvania, Democrat Chrissy Houlahan was re-elected for the 6th district, while Republican Bruce Westerman won for Arkansas's 4th district, and Republican Rick Crawford for the state's 1st district. Republican Tom Cole was also re-elected for Oklahoma's 4th district, and Republican Carol Miller for West Virginia's 1st district.

In the gubernatorial elections, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman to hold the governorship of a US state, as well as the first woman to hold this office in Georgia. Bottoms had previously served as the mayor of Atlanta.

Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul won a new term in New York after defeating her Republican opponent, Bruce Blakeman, who was endorsed by Trump. Meanwhile, Democrat Ned Lamont won a new term as governor of Connecticut.

Anger at Trump and Economic Pressures

Exit poll results conducted by 'NBC News' reflected the extent of dissatisfaction with the US President, as 43% of them said that expressing their opposition to Trump was one of their motivations for voting, a much higher percentage than that recorded in the 2018 midterm elections during his first term.

The poll showed that only 38% of voters approve of Trump's performance, compared to 45% during the 2018 elections, an indicator of declining satisfaction with his performance during his current term.

The dissatisfaction extended to states with competitive Senate races, where results showed that a majority of voters in Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, and Texas disapprove of Trump's handling of his presidential duties, at higher rates than those recorded in the 2018 elections.

The negative sentiment was not limited to the President and the Republican Party but extended to both major parties. 54% of voters said they had negative impressions of the Democratic Party, compared to 46% with positive impressions, while 59% expressed negative views of the Republican Party, versus 41% who expressed positive attitudes.

The poll noted that about one in five voters do not have a positive impression of either party, a percentage at least five percentage points higher than what was recorded during the midterm elections in the previous two cycles.

Regarding key issues, voters saw Democrats as more capable of handling the economy, foreign policy, healthcare, government corruption, and policies related to transgender people, while Republicans maintained an advantage on immigration. The parties were split in voters' opinions on policies concerning artificial intelligence and taxes.

Economy and Cost of Living Top Concerns

The poll showed that the economy, once one of Trump's main political strengths, has become a major source of dissatisfaction with his administration.

75% of voters said the US economy is in poor condition, while 65% believed Trump's policies have worsened the country's economic situation. Nearly half of voters also indicated that the cost of living was a decisive factor in their voting decision.

Voters ranked the economy as the most important issue facing the United States, at 39%, followed by the state of democracy in the country at 32%.

The poll showed that 44% of voters feel their financial situation is worse than it was two years ago when Trump returned to the White House, compared to only 18% who said their situation has improved.

Food and grocery prices topped the list of concerns, with 88% of voters saying they were very or moderately concerned about them, followed by fuel and diesel prices at 87%, utility bills at 86%, and healthcare costs at 85%.

Overall, nearly eight in ten voters said that inflation is causing financial hardship for their families, while 62% blamed Trump for the rising prices, and 65% believed his policies have made the US economy worse.

According to the poll, these numbers reflect the connection between voters' assessment of the administration's performance and their living conditions and ability to afford basic necessities, at a time when Trump's intensive campaigning in recent weeks to support Republican candidates failed to change the trend of dissatisfaction with his administration.

Implications of the Results for the White House

The US President acknowledged that the Iran war played a role in the Republicans' loss in the midterm congressional elections.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that Democrats would send him legislation he described as "crazy," adding that he would veto it.

Trump said, "They will send me nonsensical things, and I will veto them. After two months of vetoing, they will call me and ask: How do we get this done? And we will work together."

Trump added that the war in Iran affected Republican candidates, despite voter approval of his handling of it. He said, "I think part of it was because of Iran, but at the same time, people realized the importance of what I did with it."

The Republican President said he would accept the election results. Trump told The New York Times, "I am fully prepared to accept these results. We will work with the Democrats, and we look forward, as you know, to cooperating with them. We will probably reach understandings."

In a sign of the reaction within the US administration to the results, Agence France-Presse quoted a White House official, who requested anonymity, as saying that the atmosphere inside the presidential residence is one of "defiance," despite the Democratic gains. He added that Trump would continue to confront what he described as the "far left" regardless of the results, warning: "Get ready for what's coming."

The midterm elections include all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 seats in the Senate, along with elections for governors of 36 states and local officials.

Republicans entered the election controlling both houses of Congress, while Democrats sought to win a majority in at least one, which would limit Trump's ability to pass his legislative agenda over the next two years. The shift in control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats is set to change the balance of power in Washington.