2026 midterm elections live updates: Democrats regain control of the Senate with Iowa flip

The closeness of the Florida Senate and gubernatorial races is a bad sign for Republicans, despite GOP Senate candidate Ashley Moody winning against Democrat Angie Nixon.

She received 50.7% of the vote over self-described socialist Nixon’s 48.2% when the race was called at 8:34 p.m.

Florida was one of the few states where the red wave fully materialized in 2022. Trump won there in each of the last three presidential elections. And Florida narrowly averted the last blue wave in 2018, with narrow GOP wins for Senate and governor.

That looks to be the case again this year, but this shift away from the landslides of 2022 back to the highly competitive races of 2018 is a bad omen for GOP nationally.

More data will need to be digested, but it could signal flagging GOP turnout and a Hispanic movement back to the Democrats — or both.

Elon Musk shrugged off Tuesday’s Democratic midterm sweep with a joke about his “election-interfering space lasers” and then set his sights on orbit.

“Guess my election-interfering space lasers didn’t work this time,” Musk wrote on X, followed by a shrugging emoji.

The quip followed an expensive cycle for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. Musk gave more than $445 million to Republican causes, according to an analysis of federal filings, making him the top donor of the 2026 midterms by a wide margin. His biggest bet was in Texas, where he put more than $200 million into the Senate race. Republican Ken Paxton lost that race to Democrat James Talarico.

The congressional shift could bring new scrutiny for Musk as Democrats are poised to examine the legality of his role in the Department of Government Efficiency, his government ties, and potential conflicts involving his business interests.

Musk, who urged voters on Election Day to “vote red,” appeared to have his eyes on the stars. In a separate post, he wrote, “Data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now.”

Trump stood by his war on Iran in the wake of criticism that it triggered monumental losses for the GOP in traditionally safe red areas, saying he remains “convinced that my decision on Iran for the long-term good of our country.”

The president has long insisted the war is necessary to keep radical Islamic jihadists in Iran from using nuclear weapons against the world. Democrats campaigned against the conflict throughout the election cycle, pitching it as an effort that drained the U.S. economy and drove energy prices high.

Trump acknowledged that “a lot of people” are saying surging oil prices triggered by the war contributed to the doomsday results for Republicans on Tuesday. But he told Politico that Republicans have a path forward if they “come together” and “keep good policy,” when pressed on what’s ahead for the GOP, which lost control of the House and Senate this week.

“I’m very, I am totally convinced that my decision on Iran for the long-term good of our country,u and even the world, was an absolutely correct one, and it continues to be,” Trump said.

When questioned whether he would escalate the war in Iran, which he had previously suggested he would following the midterms, Trump kept his options open.

“We’re going to take a look,” he said. “If we see any opportunity to do one thing or another, we’ll do — we’re going to do what’s best for this country.”

Trump made notable bipartisan overtures to Democrats after they swept the midterm elections, suggesting he had “learned” from the dismal election cycle and that he would be open to making an immigration deal.

The president reminded Democrats that he holds “powerful” veto power after they secured a majority in both chambers of Congress. But during a late-night interview with Politico, the president pledged to work with the opposition to “make sure things go well for our country.”

“They’ve already called, and they want to work with me,” Trump said. “I have the right to veto everything, but I don’t want to be just sitting there for two years vetoing everything. They want to see things happen too. So I’ve already spoken to certain leaders of the Democrat Party, and we’ll probably, you know, I have a lot of friends at the Democrats also.”

When pressed on whether the White House could make an “immigration deal” with Democrats, Trump left the door open.

“I’ll consider doing whatever I think is appropriate and good for the country,” the president said.

Iran credited its war with the United States for triggering “nightmare” results for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party in Tuesday’s midterm elections, after Democrats took home stunning wins in a sweeping repudiation of the White House.

Trump’s war on Iran, ongoing since February, had polled poorly with voters for months, before Democrats won control of the House and Senate, flipping at least seven seats in the upper chamber, including in solid red territory, along with key governorships.

Iranian Parliamentarian speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf weighed in on the results, saying that whether it was “conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR.”

“We endorse this message,” Ghalibaf said in a statement to X. “If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.”

With Democrat Abdul el Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s Senate race, Democrats have picked up at least 54 seats in the Senate in the midterm elections.

There are four Senate races yet to be called, as of 2:40 a.m.: Montana, Nebraska, Mississippi, and Alaska.

The Washington Examiner will conclude its live coverage of the 2026 midterm elections and will continue coverage Wednesday morning.

The Associated Press called Michigan’s Senate race for Abdul el Sayed at 2:27 a.m. on Wednesday morning, making history as the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber.

El Sayed, who garnered 52% with 85% of the vote counted, defeated Republican Mike Rogers, who received 46% of the vote at the time of the race call.

El Sayed declared victory earlier in the night, telling a crowd of his supporters, “We did it.”

“This movement is for money out of politics, money in your pocket, and Medicare for all. I just want to thank you, everybody who knocked a door, made a call, sent a dollar, posted a story, and most important, gave us your stake in democracy,” el Sayed said.

Democratic former smokejumper Sam Forstag defeated Republican Aaron Flint in Montana’s 1st Congressional District, flipping the seat blue.

Forstag garnered 53.99% of the vote compared to Flint, who won 43.33% of the vote, according to Decision Desk, which called the race at 2:04 a.m. on Wednesday. Local ABC FOX affiliate reported that Forstag said Flint called his campaign to concede the race Wednesday.

The race to replace retiring Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) was forecast as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report. The district had voted for Trump by an over 11-percentage-point margin in 2024.

The Associated Press has called Michigan’s governor race for Democrat Jocelyn Benson over Republican John James, while the outlet has not called the state’s Senate race.

Benson garnered 53.61% of the vote compared to James, who garnered 44.66% of the vote, with 80.5% of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press, which called the race at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

At around 2 a.m., the outlet had not called Michigan’s Senate race with 80.7% of the vote counted, while Democrat Abdul el Sayed had 51.72% of the vote, compared to Republican Mike Rogers’ 46.28%.

El Sayed declared victory Wednesday morning, while the outlet had not called the race, nor had Rogers conceded the race.

Former President Barack Obama released a statement on Wednesday morning celebrating Democrats’ “clear message” sent on election night.

“Tonight, the American people sent a clear message — they want a politics that brings people together rather than divides them, and leaders who offer concrete solutions to the challenges they face,” Obama wrote.

The former president, who stumped for Democrats across the country this midterm season, said it was Democrats’ candidate quality that pushed them to victory.

“These results were only possible because outstanding candidates stepped forward in every region of the country — including in areas once considered long shots,” Obama said. “They came from different backgrounds and represented a range of political perspectives, but were united by shared values, a belief in public service, and a commitment to putting the people of their districts and states first.”

Michigan’s Democratic Senate candidate Abdul el Sayed declared victory in the Wolverine State on Wednesday morning at around 1:30 a.m.. The Associated Press has not yet called the race, and Republican Mike Rogers has not conceded.

“We did it!” El Sayed declared at his campaign’s celebration party.

Just after 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, el Sayed had 51.83% of the vote, according to the outlet, with 78.2% of the vote counted. Rogers had 46.19% of the vote.

“I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect in the great state of Michigan,” el Sayed declared.

Just before el Sayed declared victory, both his watch party and Rogers’s watch party were thinning out, as pundits expected the race to not be called overnight.

House Democratic leadership declared victory before midnight Tuesday as it secured a majority in the lower chamber, celebrating what shaped up to be a historic night for Democrats as the party crossed the 218-seat threshold.

Democrats are celebrating their victories in competitive races, as well as races not on the radar, and not a single incumbent has lost reelection as of midnight. They’ll have control of both chambers of Congress for the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

“The American people have spoken and made clear they’ve had enough of the extremism, enough of the corruption,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said at a press conference Tuesday night. “They want a Congress that’s going to deliver for the American people, and that is exactly what House Democrats will do as soon as we get into office in January. We understand, as House Democrats, that life is way too expensive in this great country of ours.”

Jeffries was introduced as “Speaker Jeffries,” and those at his election night watch party roared when he took the stage, hours after the drinks flowed from the open bar amid an energetic crowd of activists and staff.

“Hakeem Jeffries is the right person in this moment, and he is the right leader and we are going to be so very proud in just a few weeks, when we get to say ‘Hakeem Jeffries is the Speaker of the House,’” said House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA).

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Iowa’s three competitive House districts have fallen to Democrats as Democrat Sen.-elect Josh Turek and Gov.-elect Rob Sand flipped the state blue at the top of the statewide ticket.

Iowa’s toss-up open 2nd Congressional District went for Democrat Lindsay James over Republican Joe Mitchell, while both Democrats Christina Bohannan and Sarah Trone Garriott won in the state’s leans Democrat 1st and 3rd districts, respectively.

Republican Chris McGowan held onto Iowa’s open, solid Republican seat in the 4th District.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has conceded the Maine Senate race to Democrat Troy Jackson, reflecting on her 30 years in the upper chamber as an “honor.”

“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Maine in the United States Senate. I’m proud of all I have been able to accomplish for our state and for our country in the past 30 years,” Collins said, per Punchbowl News.

The Associated Press has not yet called the race, though as of just before 1 a.m., Jackson led with 53% of the vote, while Collins had 46.93%, with 72.3% of the vote counted.

“I called Troy Jackson tonight to congratulate him and to assure him that my staff and I will work to ensure a smooth transition,” Collins said.

Alaska’s polling locations closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday local time, or 1 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, closing out Election Day voting.

The closure marks the end of in-person voting in the 2026 midterm elections, although ballot counting and reporting will continue nationwide.

Alaska’s Senate contest is among the most consequential remaining races, with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) facing a challenge from former Rep. Mary Peltola. The governor’s race and the state’s lone House seat are also being closely watched.

The race has attracted national headlines as a civil and criminal investigation unfolds over the presence of a different Dan Sullivan on the ballot, who was allegedly recruited by Peltola and Democratic leadership to syphon votes away from the Republican incumbent of the same name.

The investigation into “Decoy Dan” could delay the Senate election results.