Democrats win Senate and House control, ending Trump's supermajority

Voters across the United States shifted political control on Tuesday, giving Democrats command of both chambers of Congress. The party flipped Republican-held Senate seats in some of the nation's most conservative states. This result reverses the 2024 outcome and provides Democrats with new power to check President Trump.

The sweep extended beyond Washington. Democrats captured key governorships and state legislatures. This gives the party a stronger position in the final two years of Trump's presidency. Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told Morning Edition the results are the best the party has seen in a century.

Martin described the vote as a change election. He said Americans sent a clear message that they want leaders who fight for them, not just the wealthy and well-connected. He argued that voters gave Democrats a mandate to address affordability and health care. He also called for fixing a corrupt system that benefits wealthy Americans.

However, turning those promises into policy remains difficult. President Trump still holds veto power. Martin said the party has great leverage because it controls Congress and several state governments. He acknowledged that opposition to Trump helped drive the results, but he argued that voters also embraced the party's message.

Martin said Democratic candidates ran for something rather than against something. He stated that they gave people a positive vision of what Democrats would do while in power. The party now holds the institutional tools to draft and pass legislation, though final approval often requires navigating executive opposition.

The next major step is organizing for the final two years of the current term. Democrats plan to use their new statehouse control to influence local elections and policy. The immediate focus is on establishing committee leadership and setting legislative agendas.