Democrats win Congress; Trump says he “wasn’t on the ballot” as Speaker Johnson steps back

Updated 5 November. Democrats have won control of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, ending Republican control of Congress under President Donald Trump. The results are projections and counts by news organisations, and a few races were still uncalled on Wednesday night.

The numbers so far

• Senate. Democrats flipped seven Republican-held seats, in Kansas, Texas, Iowa, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and North Carolina, CNBC reported. Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since 1932. CBS News counts at least 54 Democratic seats. Alaska and Mississippi were still uncalled; NBC said Peltola led Sullivan in Alaska, and that in Mississippi Colom led Hyde-Smith by 65 votes at 5:25 pm ET.
• House. NBC estimates Democrats will win at least 259 seats; CBS projects between 251 and 268. A majority is 218. NBC counted 35 seats flipped from the Republicans by Wednesday evening, with more races uncalled. CNBC, in an earlier count, had at least 24 flips and nine seats still undecided.
• Governors and states. Democrats flipped five governorships, in Texas, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Nevada, and as many as 12 state legislative chambers, CNBC reported. Republicans did not flip any Democratic-held congressional seat, governorship or chamber, according to the Associated Press data CNBC cited.

What the Republican side said

In his first public appearance after the vote, on Wednesday afternoon, Trump largely avoided the losses and praised the White House ballroom, NBC reported. Asked about the results earlier, he said he did not see them as a defeat because he "wasn't on the ballot," NBC reported.

In a Fox News interview relayed by ABC7, Trump said he was "a little bit surprised" and had expected Republicans to "do better." "I think part of it was Iran," he said, adding that voters "agree with what I'm doing on Iran" but "weren't willing to do the short-term consequence of paying more for gasoline." Asked if he would accept the results, he said: "Yeah, sure, I'll accept. Why wouldn't I?" He also said the results were not "a hit on me."

Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war was "the reason we lost," CBS reported. Trump called a Vance post saying so "largely true," ABC7 reported.

Speaker Mike Johnson told staff on a call that he will not stay on as Republican leader in the new Congress, according to four sources cited by NBC; CBS also reported he will "not seek another term as GOP leader." Senate Republicans hold leadership elections on 10 November, and Majority Leader John Thune is still expected to run for minority leader, NBC said, citing a source close to him.

What the Democratic side said

Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, formally launched his bid for Speaker in a letter to colleagues on Wednesday afternoon. NBC said he named three priorities: affordability, accountability for Trump, and "American values." He said "the era of MAGA extremism is coming to a crashing end." No other Democrat had publicly challenged him, NBC said. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would "entangle" Trump "in legislative razor wire," CBS reported.

What changes in Washington

Democrats take over the House committees and subpoena power when the new Congress meets on 3 January 2027, which lets them open investigations. Any law still needs the Senate and Trump's signature, and he keeps his veto, so narrow Democratic majorities could make passing bills difficult.

BDT will update this story when the remaining races are called and results are certified.