Democrats made significant gains in the U.S. midterm elections, winning key Republican-held seats in Congress and securing major victories in traditionally conservative states. The results were seen as a setback for President Donald Trump and could limit his legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency.
The party was projected to take control of both chambers of Congress after a series of wins in battleground states. The races were widely viewed as a referendum on Trump’s second term, with concerns about the cost of living, inflation and the war in Iran weighing on voters.
Texas produced some of the election’s biggest surprises. Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, becoming the state’s first Democratic U.S. senator since 1988. Democrat Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott, becoming Texas’s first Latina governor and ending more than three decades of Republican control of the office.
In North Carolina, former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper flipped a Republican-held Senate seat by defeating Trump-backed Michael Whatley. Cooper will succeed Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who is retiring after clashing with Trump over his tax and spending legislation.
Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection against Trump-backed Republican Mike Collins. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also won the governor’s race, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state.
In Ohio, former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown returned to the Senate after defeating Republican incumbent Jon Husted in a closely watched race.
Sources: CNBC Markets.