Democrats win Senate control in midterms, dealing blow to Trump
Democrats have regained control of the US Senate, with historic wins across the country that give them new leverage over President Donald Trump for the rest of his term, and they are expected to take the House as well.
Democrats have regained control of the US Senate, routing Republicans in midterm elections across the country and giving the party new leverage over President Donald Trump for the remainder of his presidency. Together with their likely triumph in the House of Representatives, Democrats are expected to hold full control of Congress from next year, for the first time since 2022.
The result was framed by many observers as a verdict on Trump's agenda. Voters were effectively asked to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency, even though he was not on the ballot. Roughly half of American voters said government corruption and the cost of living were crucial to their vote for Congress, according to the reporting on which this account is based.
One of the most closely watched contests was in Texas, a Republican stronghold. Democrat James Talarico won the Senate race there, ending a 38-year drought for his party in the state. He defeated Republican Ken Paxton, the state attorney general and a staunch ally of the president. The outcome was described as a stunning blow to Trump and to Republican efforts to keep control of Congress.
Taken together, the results mean Democrats will be able to shape the legislative agenda and scrutinise the administration with greater force in the final two years of Trump's term. Republicans, who had held both chambers, now face the prospect of governing as a minority in Congress and of defending a record that voters have turned against in key races.
Source: independent.co.uk
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