2026 midterm elections live updates: Democrats regain control of Congress in historic blue wave

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.

Democrats have already begun seeking investigators and oversight counsel for congressional committees following a major election night sweep, as the party has promised to wield oversight power to target what they view as corruption in the Trump administration.

House oversight committee ranking member Robert Garcia (D-CA) sent out a warning to President Donald Trump on Tuesday night to “lawyer up” after election results made clear Democrats had won control of both chambers of Congress. Other lawmakers quickly followed suit, warning of numerous subpoenas.

By Wednesday, some committees began publishing job postings. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee posted three jobs within 24 hours after the election, seeking counsel and investigators for the incoming chairman.

One position is advertised as “counsel, anti-corruption” and would entail crafting “government ethics and anti-corruption legislation.” The posting notes that this role will include aiding in investigations.

Another position posted Wednesday was advertised as “investigators and oversight counsel,” and the posting did not detail how many employees the committee is seeking.

The committee is also looking for an adviser for “security and safety issues” related to artificial intelligence, as scrutiny of the technology is likely to be a key concern for Democrats in the coming months.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), while reflecting on the election results in Texas, said the Lone Star State’s newly elected Democratic attorney general will investigate SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

“They’re going to go after Elon Musk. I guarantee you they will do that,” DeSantis said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Having the Gigafactory and all that there, I think it’s gonna be problematic for him because I think the political hostility is very, very strong.”

The corporate headquarters for SpaceX and Tesla are based in Texas. DeSantis referenced Tesla’s Gigafactory manufacturing facility near Austin.

Musk’s business empire could face investigations in the state, with Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson set to become its next attorney general after Ken Paxton. Johnson defeated Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton by 6 points.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) posted a three-point proposal that would, in part, help end the Iran war after Vice President JD Vance admitted the foreign conflict sank Republicans’ chances in the recent elections.

“I agree that the reason Republicans lost is the Iran war,” Khanna said on X in response to Vance’s statement on the election results. “I would add the corruption epitomized by the Epstein cover up.”

Khanna is one of the primary lawmakers in Congress who pushed for the release of the Epstein files. He is now calling on the administration to support the second iteration of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which is spearheaded by Khanna and outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). The bill would allow state attorneys general to “prosecute the pedophiles who abused and trafficked young girls,” Khanna said.

The congressman also proposed a continuing resolution to prohibit future financing of U.S. military operations against Iran in an effort to end the eight-month war. He noted that cutting off aid to Israel could be included in the continuing resolution.

“Will you actually now do any of these three things?” the California Democrat asked, seemingly directing the question toward the vice president.

Earlier Wednesday, Vance directly blamed the Iran war for why Republicans lost the midterm elections. He acknowledged that the president also said something similar.

Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), who won reelection to a second term on Tuesday, had a memo published by his campaign highlighting his active role in helping Democrats win the midterm elections this year.

Moore raised and donated up to $4.5 million while campaigning for Democratic candidates in numerous competitive races across the country, per the three-page memo. These races were in critical battleground states, including Texas and Ohio. He also made “strategic investments in non-competitive districts,” according to the document.

“Governor Moore’s dominant performance this cycle sends a clear message: he possesses the political muscle, the strategic discipline, and the popular mandate to lead Maryland—and help shape the national landscape—well into the future,” it concluded.

The memo appeared to hint at the Democratic governor’s long-term ambitions, including a possible entrance in the 2028 presidential race. Moore is among the top contenders speculated to run for president, but he has denied any interest in the national position.

Texas state Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican, called on Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to convene a special session for the state legislature to “rein in” executive emergency powers that the lawmaker fears will be abused by the Democratic governor-elect.

“We still have total power in Texas,” Harrison said on X, “and we must act like it by using the remaining ten weeks to restore separation of powers and limit the emergency powers that Governor-Elect Hinojosa is set to inherit, which would allow her to destroy liberty in Texas by executive fiat.”

The state representative has been pushing legislation to limit the executive emergency powers of Texas governors since 2022. He argues limits should be put in place, regardless of whether the governor is a Republican or Democrat.

Harrison renewed his call after Gina Hinojosa ousted Abbott on Tuesday, claiming she “will inherit the powers of a dictator” if she takes no action on the issue. Hinojosa will continue serving in the Texas House of Representatives until she becomes governor.

“Due to the absurd (and almost certainly unconstitutional) Texas emergency powers laws, Gov. Hinojosa will literally have the power to modify laws, ignore laws, or create and enforce laws – including criminal laws – on a whim,” Harrison said, urging every elected Texas Republican to demand a special session. Abbott hasn’t responded yet.

Harrison won reelection in the race for the Texas House of Representatives District 10, which he has represented since 2021. Abbott is leaving office after his third term ends in January 2027.

Republican Nino Mangione, a cousin of alleged killer Luigi Mangione, won the election for the Baltimore County Council.

The candidate narrowly defeated Democrat Shawn McIntosh by a 4-point margin for the Baltimore County Council’s 5th District, according to the election results. The victor started serving in a once-vacant seat in June.

Mangione, who has described himself as a conservative Republican, previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2019 to 2026.

Meanwhile, his cousin is accused of stalking and killing former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the killing. The defendant also faces state charges, but his lawyers are trying to dismiss that case on the grounds of double jeopardy.

House Democrats are holding their leadership elections from Nov. 18-19, over a week after House Republicans have their leadership elections scheduled.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is poised to become the lower chamber’s speaker in January 2027 if his party caucus chooses him in the leadership elections. Elections for the committee chairs will happen later.

Former Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola is leading incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) by 0.3 percentage points, which is smaller than “Decoy” Dan Sullivan’s support.

The race is still too close to call, with 74% of the votes counted as of Wednesday. Peltola is slightly ahead with over 600 votes at 48.2% compared to Sullivan’s 47.9%, while the copycat candidate sits at 1.7% support.

The Alaska election is one of two Senate races that still need to be called. The other state is Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom is ahead of Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) by 65 votes.

Alaska’s highly competitive Senate race is at the center of a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice, which is probing whether Peltola’s campaign recruited “Decoy Dan” to confuse voters.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) said he respected the midterm election results after losing to Democrat Adam Hamilton.

“The people of Kansas and America have spoken,” Marshall told the Washington Examiner. “God bless Kansas and God bless America.”

The incumbent failed to win a second six-year Senate term in a state that the president won by more than 16 points in 2024. Hamilton was one of the 54 Democrats to pick up a Senate seat so far. Only two Senate races need to be called.

Hamilton is the first Democrat elected to the Senate in Kansas since George McGill in 1932.

President Donald Trump’s eldest son agreed with Vice President JD Vance’s reflection on the midterm elections.

Vance released a statement on Wednesday morning, blaming the Iran war for the blue wave that swept the House and Senate. He also concluded that turnout wasn’t the problem, but rather Trump voters in 2024 voting for Democrats this year.

In response, Donald Trump Jr. posted: “Every word of this is 💯💯💯.”

Trump Jr.’s comment, though short, is notable because it shows him separating himself from the president over the outcome of the midterm elections. Trump, who appeared surprised by the results, admitted the Iran war played a role in fueling the blue wave.

Democrat Christina Hines defeated Republican Mike Bouchard in the race to replace Rep. John James (R-MI) in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District.

Hines garnered 52% of the vote compared to Bouchard, who won 45% of the vote, according to the Associated Press, which called the race at 12:26 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Democrat’s win flips James’s GOP-held seat, which he held for two terms before deciding to run for Michigan governor. The race was one of several toss-up races of the 2026 cycle, handing a crucial win to Democrats as they sought to take back the House from Republican control.

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Los Angeles’ mayoral race remains too close to call in the California election featuring incumbent Democratic mayor Karen Bass versus progressive city councilwoman Nithya Raman, who is backed by socialists.

Raman leads by about 17,000 votes as of Wednesday at noon Eastern, with roughly 63% of ballots counted, according to NBC News. Bass would need to win 51.9% of the remaining vote to overtake Raman.

Bass, who has attracted criticism for her handling of the deadly 2025 Los Angeles fires, among other issues, initially held a slim lead Tuesday evening, but it evaporated as the night wore on.

The mayor projected confidence in a speech to supporters Tuesday evening.

“Let me just say it takes a while to count the vote in our city, but pretty soon we shall know, and I am confident, with all the work that is done here, that we will achieve victory,” Bass said at an election night watch party in Hollywood.

Michigan Republican Mike Rogers neglected to name his victorious Democratic opponent, Abdul el Sayed, in an apparent concession statement hours after the Senate election.

“Over the past two years, Kristi and I have met incredible Michiganders who want solutions, not division. We’ve worked to put a spotlight on literacy, affordable housing, manufacturing jobs, Detroit’s food desert, and the troubling rise of antisemitism,” Rogers said on Wednesday, referring to his wife, Kristi Rogers. “We will be forever grateful to the families, faith leaders, and community leaders who welcomed us. We focused on what brings us together — and on real solutions to the real issues that Michiganders face.”

It appears Mike Rogers has not yet called el Sayed to concede the race, according to the senator-elect. El Sayed won by 7 percentage points. Still, Rogers remains undeterred.

“Michigan — we have a state to save, now more than ever,” the failed Republican candidate said. “Our work continues, and I remain hopeful that Michigan’s best days are ahead.”

Mississippi Democrat Scott Colom said he is “very confident” about winning the Senate race, which is still too close to call.

“We’re going to win, and it’s because people in Mississippi turned out in historic numbers to make this race possible in a midterm election,” he told voters on Wednesday morning.

Colom and incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) are virtually tied at 48.9%, with the Democratic candidate slightly ahead by 43 votes. As of Wednesday, 96% of the votes are counted. Mail-in ballots, which have a five-business-day grace period in Mississippi, may play a role in the outcome of the election.

Colom said his campaign, volunteers, and the people of Mississippi were “not surprised” by his performance in the dead-heat race because of the work his supporters put in to get him to this place. He added that his team is working with local lawyers to “protect the process of this election.”

Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias announced his law firm will be involved in the legal effort to ensure Colom wins.