Democrats Win US Midterms as Corruption and Living Costs Drive Voters
Democrats scored sweeping wins over President Donald Trump's Republican Party in the US midterm elections. Polling shows voters were most concerned about government corruption and the cost of living.
In the US midterm congressional elections held on November 4, 2026, the opposition Democratic Party won victories across the country, including in states where President Donald Trump's Republican Party (GOP) had prevailed for decades. The result gives Democrats control of committees in both chambers of Congress and the power to launch investigations into the administration, which could shape Washington politics for years.
What the polling shows
An AP survey of about 80,000 voters in all 50 states found that roughly three-quarters were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country. More than half said government corruption was crucial to their vote for Congress, a share higher than for the cost of living. About six in ten said the president put his personal interests ahead of the country's.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico won the Senate race, and Democrats also took the governor's office for the first time in more than 30 years. Republican nominee Ken Paxton, whom Trump had endorsed against incumbent Senator John Cornyn, became the first Texas Republican to lose a Senate race since 1988. In a Fox News interview, Trump said the outcome was not a personal defeat, arguing voters simply did not like the candidates.
Promised investigations
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become the first Black speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, vowed to pursue what he called unprecedented corruption. Robert Garcia, expected to chair the House Oversight Committee, posted "LAWYER UP" to Republicans on social media. Priorities include the Trump family's business and cryptocurrency dealings and the White House ballroom project.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse cautioned that investigations should not distract from addressing costs for families. The administration is widely expected to resist demands for testimony and documents, setting up lengthy court battles. The AP survey also suggests the Democratic Party is not much more popular with voters than the Republicans.
