from States Newsroom
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By Robin Opsahl |
A blue wave swept through much of the country last week in the Nov. 3, 2026 midterm elections, meaning Democrats will have more power in Congress as well as many statehouses throughout the country. But how the party plans to execute on its campaign promises remains to be seen.
Starting in January, Democrats will control both chambers of Congress, giving them the upper hand over much of President Donald Trump’s agenda, including his judicial nominees, and the power to investigate the first two years of Trump’s second term, including his business ventures, war decisions and mass deportation campaign.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is poised to lead the upper chamber once again, told reporters after the election that Senate Democrats have three priorities: lower the cost of living, “clean up” corruption in government and “check on Trump's chaos at home and abroad,” including the war with Iran.
In the House, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is positioned to become the first Black House speaker in American history. As pushback against Trump is expected to ramp up under a Democratic House majority that has campaigned in part on holding the administration accountable, Jeffries will have to decide whether his party will seek to impeach Trump. That undertaking could compete with a slew of policy priorities on tap in the next Congress.
Even though Democrats gained control in both chambers, the party won’t hold veto-proof margins when the new session of Congress begins in early January. That will require congressional leaders and the president to find compromise on legislation. Failure to do so would block any bills that could improve the lives of Americans from becoming law and potentially lead to more shutdowns, since Congress must fund the government every year.
TOP IMPACT
Voters line up to cast their ballots on the last day of early voting for the midterm election at the Pulaski County Regional Building in Little Rock, Arkansas on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026 (Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate)
By Ariana Figueroa | News from the States
The chair of the campaign arm for U.S. House Democrats said during a Friday press conference that this week's midterm elections resulted in an overwhelming blue wave because of Latinos.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene said majorities won in the House and the Senate by Democrats couldn’t have happened without Latino voters. She said Democrats were only able to win competitive seats in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas because of the Latino vote.
Attendees cheer for Democrats as results roll in at a watch party during the midterm elections on Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn. Democrats will control both legislative chambers and the governorship in 22 states come January. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
By Kelcie Moseley-Morris | Stateline
Along with a dramatic change in congressional majorities on Election Day, an analysis from the National Conference of State Legislatures showed large shifts in legislative majorities around the country, flipping from a majority of Republican legislatures to majority Democratic.
Democrats also now hold a large number of trifectas, said the conference’s Katy Owens Hubler, meaning they control both chambers of the state legislature alongside a Democratic governor. Heading into the elections, Republicans held 23 trifectas nationwide, and that was cut down to 17. Democrats now will have 22 trifectas beginning in January.
BIG PICTURE
Vice President JD Vance spoke May 18, 2026, about the importance of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States at the Milbank Manufacturing company in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)
CAMPAIGNS, VOTING AND ELECTION LAW
USA: Vance and Trump blame midterm GOP elections loss on their war in Iran | News from the States
USA: Trump’s gerrymandering push flops as Democrats win redrawn seats | News from the States
USA: Trump accepts the blue tsunami, despite months of election legal battles, threats | News from the States
MI: El-Sayed declares victory and storms into the US Senate | Michigan Advance
SC: A look at how SC voters’ support shifted to flip the US Senate seat | South Carolina Daily Gazette
ID: Idaho voters turned out at high rates to vote in midterm election. Some waited hours to vote. | Idaho Capital Sun
USA: Trump’s DOJ ends California suit over suspected noncitizen voters after midterm losses | News from the States
MS: Mississippi GOP chair vows to ‘fight like hell’ in Senate midterm vote counting | Mississippi Today
ME: Maine joined a pledge to ditch the Electoral College. Dems’ national wins could make it reality. | Maine Morning Star
USA: Democrats romped in state elections. What will they do with their newfound power? | Stateline
WI: Victorious Wisconsin Democrats lay out their plans | Wisconsin Examiner
TX: Texas Democrats won big with little-known underdogs. Here’s how they pulled it off. | Texas Tribune
MI: Return of the trifecta: Michigan Democrats reclaim full control of state government | Michigan Advance
MO: ‘We’ve got to listen’: Missouri Republicans confront fallout from historic election losses | Missouri Independent
FL: Florida’s statewide seats remain red. How? | Florida Phoenix
USA: Voters reject most big tax overhauls, with a few notable exceptions | Stateline
USA: Trans sports bans get voter approval in 4 states | Stateline
USA: Voters in five states back bans on noncitizen voting while one state bucks trend | Stateline
USA: Idaho voters reject abortion ballot measure as Missouri, Nevada and Virginia back access | Stateline
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS AND COURTS
USA: GOP Congress faces funding deadline, farm bill, lengthy to-do list in year-end session | News from the States
MN: Dozens sue for justice for alleged ICE abuse during Operation Metro Surge |Minnesota Reformer
TN: Judge blocks Tennessee from denying driver’s licenses to immigrants with work permits |Tennessee Lookout
TX: Houston mayor limits police cooperation with ICE after Democratic wins | Texas Tribune
NM: New Mexico immigrant groups urge Legislature to crack down on local police ‘handoffs’ to ICE agents | New Mexico Source
TN: Tennessee judge extends block on immigration checks in HIV/AIDS program | Tennessee Lookout
ND: Diesel tax breaks make limited impact as prices remain high | North Dakota Monitor
WV: West Virginians footing the bill for war and big oil | West Virginia Watch
NC: North Carolina seeks $40 million to help schools cover rising fuel costs | NC Newsline
USA: Still focused on D.C. projects, Trump signs order preserving Oval Office | News from the States
USA: Mastermind of immigration crackdown Stephen Miller named Trump chief of staff | News from the States
USA: Democratic wins put Medicaid expansion back in play in holdout states | Stateline
AR: Trump administration grants 6-month reprieve for Arkansas Medicaid expansion | Arkansas Advocate
TX: Gov.-elect Hinojosa wants to expand Medicaid in Texas. An executive order won’t make that happen. | Texas Tribune
OR: Oregon, three other state AGs sue over Trump’s Medicaid work requirements | Oregon Capital Chronicle
NJ: Families fear state Medicaid billing change means loss of programs for disabled adults | New Jersey Monitor
KS: Kansas’ rate of children without health insurance tops national average for second year | Kansas Reflector
USA: States push short-term insurance as healthcare costs climb | Stateline
MS: What to know as open enrollment begins for ACA plans: higher costs, fewer options | Mississippi Today
USA: Trump promotes Reflecting Pool renovation the day before the election | News from the States
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