US midterm elections: Democrats take both chambers of Congress, but the party is split

Election result

The 2026 US midterm elections ended the way the polls had predicted: the Democratic Party won key races across the country, in places by impressive margins, and will take control of both chambers of Congress for the next two years. This is how an American researcher describes the outcome Dr. Adam McConnell, in a column for Anadolu, noting that this is the author's opinion and does not necessarily reflect the outlet's position.

Historic victories

Several results stand out as historic. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman governor in US history; in Texas, Gina Ortiz Jones became the first Hispanic woman elected governor of that state. Deb Haaland, previously the first Native American at cabinet level, was elected governor of New Mexico — the first Native American governor in US history — while Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota will become the first Native American woman senator. The biggest sensation of the night was Abdul El-Sayed's victory in the Michigan Senate race: he will become the first Muslim senator in US history.

The split over Israel

In the author's assessment, although the Democrats emphasized Trump's corruption, the cost of living, and inequality, the dominant theme of the campaigns was Israel. A week before the election, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said in a podcast that any Democrat in Congress who criticizes Israel would face being 'shut out' by colleagues. And on the eve of the vote, Haley Stevens, who lost the Michigan primary to El-Sayed, endorsed his Republican rival — citing, in her words, personal differences, although, as the author notes, it was precisely the position on Israel that had long been the main point of contention between them. Moreover, according to the column, the party leadership gave El-Sayed no real support: ten days before the election, Pelosi referred to him as 'this new guy.' The author warns that if the leadership tries to 'silence' El-Sayed, the election victory will be devalued and the party will split even further.

Impeachment from January

When the new Democratic majorities take office in January, the first item on the agenda, in the author's view, will be the impeachment of President Donald Trump and his allies. Trump is the only US president to have been impeached twice (in December 2019 and January 2021, when Democrats controlled the House of Representatives), but both times the Senate, with a Republican majority, acquitted him. The mechanics are as follows: the House impeaches by a simple majority, but removal from office requires two-thirds of the Senate's votes. The Democrats will have a large majority in the House and only 54 senators (possibly 55–56), meaning more than 10 Republican votes would be needed. The author considers this not entirely implausible: the Republican Party is also split, and Vice President JD Vance, who retains presidential ambitions, began distancing himself from Trump immediately after the election, blaming his war with Iran for the defeat.

What comes next

Regardless of the outcome of the impeachment, the next two years, according to the author's forecast, will be filled with constant legal initiatives by Congress against Trump and those who assisted him or benefited from his activities since January 2025. Trump has already promised to veto the Democrats' legislative initiatives. This means a direct confrontation between the legislative and judicial branches and the president and his administration: political tension in the US will not ease and will likely intensify as the 2028 presidential election approaches.