US Midterm Elections: Democrats Show Strength in Traditionally Republican States

The US midterm election results are beginning to throw up some surprises, with Democrats putting up a strong fight in states and congressional districts that have traditionally favoured Republicans. From a closely contested House race in Florida to a potentially tighter Senate contest in Georgia, early results suggest Republicans could face a tougher election battle than expected. However, much of the Election Day vote is yet to be counted, and the picture could change as more results come in. The first polling stations were scheduled to close at 6 pm Eastern Time, with voting continuing in several states. The elections are being closely watched as Democrats look to take control of Congress, while Republicans are trying to hold on to their majorities. The election has also become a test of public support for Trump, whose popularity has taken a hit amid growing economic concerns. The president has urged Americans to treat the midterm elections as if he himself were on the ballot All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are being contested, making the fight for the chamber another major focus of the midterms. Republicans are defending a narrow majority, while Democrats are looking to flip competitive districts and secure the seats needed to take control. Pennsylvania is among the key states to watch, particularly four competitive Republican-held districts across the Philadelphia suburbs, the Lehigh Valley and central Pennsylvania. In New York, Republican Representative Mike Lawler faces Democrat Cait Conley in the closely watched 17th Congressional District. Iowa is another important battleground, with Republican incumbents Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 1st District and Zach Nunn in the 3rd District facing competitive challenges. The House results will have a direct bearing on Trump’s legislative agenda. A Democratic takeover would give the party greater influence over congressional committees, investigations and oversight of the administration, as well as more power to block or reshape legislative priorities. Follow the liveblog for the latest US midterm election results, updates from key battlegrounds, House and Senate seat counts, governor race outcomes, ballot measure results and reactions from candidates and party leaders. Democrat James Talarico has won the early vote in Texas by a significant margin. In the state's major metropolitan counties, he is performing around 25 percentage points better than Kamala Harris did in 2024. With only about a quarter of the total vote expected to be cast on Election Day, Republican Ken Paxton will need a strong performance in the remaining voting to close the gap. Democrat Chris Pappas has defeated Republican John E. Sununu in New Hampshire's Senate race, according to the Associated Press. Pappas, who has served four terms in the House of Representatives, becomes the first openly gay man in US history to win a seat in the Senate. Sununu, a former senator who lost re-election in 2008, tried to distance himself from President Donald Trump's MAGA movement. However, he could not overcome opposition to Trump in New Hampshire, a state that has never voted for him in a presidential election. Democratic candidates have been declared winners in two key Senate races, New Hampshire and North Carolina. While Roy Cooper flipped the Republican-held seat in North Carolina, Chris Pappas held the seat for Democrats in New Hampshire. The two victories give Democrats an early boost as they look to gain control of the Senate. Kentucky's Senate race, meanwhile, has not yet been called for the Republican candidate. Democrat Roy Cooper has defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina's Senate race, according to The Associated Press. The victory flips a Republican-held seat and gives Democrats an important win as they seek control of the Senate. Cooper, a popular former governor who served two terms, benefited from his strong name recognition and campaign message, “Make Stuff Cost Less”. His victory had been widely expected in recent weeks, although North Carolina was earlier seen as one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate contests. Democratic incumbent Suhas Subramanyam has won re-election in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, defeating Republican challenger Dave T. Beckwith. Subramanyam was first elected to Congress in 2024 and became the first Indian American from the East Coast to win a seat in the US Congress. Before entering Congress, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2019 to 2023 and the Virginia State Senate from 2023 to 2024. He currently serves on the House committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Ethics, and Science, Space, and Technology. His legislative work has included efforts to reduce tolls, utility bills and prescription drug costs. He also co-founded a bipartisan caucus and has backed legislation on K-12 education, tax cuts and gun safety. Democrats could appear stronger in the initial results across several states, including Florida and South Carolina, even where they are considered underdogs. This is because many states report early and mail-in ballots before Election Day votes. Early voting has leaned heavily towards Democrats this year, while Republicans are expecting to make gains once Election Day ballots are counted. Election experts have also warned that complete results may take several days, or even longer, to emerge in some states. The time taken to count votes could leave the outcome uncertain in closely contested races that may determine control of the Senate, House of Representatives and governorships. States that rely heavily on mail-in voting often take longer to report complete results. California is one such example, with election workers required to process large numbers of mailed ballots. President Donald Trump appeared unhappy with Fox News' election coverage and criticised the network in three posts on Truth Social within 95 minutes. Trump accused the channel of “spending too much time covering the Trump Deranged Dumocrats!” In another post at around 7 pm, he claimed that Fox News' ratings were “way down, not because of me, but because they are AGAINST me!” - Florida House race turns competitive: Republican Anna Paulina Luna is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Leela Gray in Florida's 13th Congressional District. Luna is leading by less than 0.2 percentage points, with 95% of the votes counted. The district had backed Donald Trump by 13 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. - Democrats show strength in Republican-leaning district: The Cook Political Report had rated Florida's 13th Congressional District as 'lean Republican'. The close contest is an early sign that Democrats could be competitive even in districts that usually favour Republicans. - Luna faces retired Army general: Luna, a Republican congresswoman popular among MAGA supporters, is contesting against Leela Gray, a retired Army brigadier general. - Georgia Senate race could tighten: Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff is leading Republican nominee Mike Collins with 62.9% of the vote against 37.1%. Around 40% of the votes have been counted. - Republicans expect gains in Georgia: Early and mail-in ballots from several metro Atlanta counties have favoured Ossoff. However, more Election Day votes and ballots from rural parts of Georgia are expected to benefit Collins. - Florida Democrats perform strongly in early counting: Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon has made strong gains in the initial count in Miami-Dade and Osceola counties, which have large Hispanic populations. She leads by 10 percentage points in Miami-Dade and 24 percentage points in Osceola. Both counties had voted Republican in 2024. - Nixon narrowly leads Republican incumbent: With 85% of the votes counted in Florida's Senate special election, Nixon has secured 49.51% of the vote, against 49.38% for Republican incumbent Ashley Moody. - Florida governor and Senate candidates run close: Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman, and Senate nominee Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, are receiving roughly similar shares of the vote. - Republicans worry about House seat losses in Florida: Close statewide contests could encourage higher Democratic turnout in congressional races, potentially leading to unexpected defeats for Republicans. The party currently holds 20 of Florida's 28 House seats. - Ohio Senate race crosses $500 million in ad spending: The contest between Republican incumbent Jon Husted and Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown has become the most expensive general election race in the country this autumn, with advertising spending crossing $500 million. - Crypto industry backs Husted: Republicans accounted for around 60% of the advertising expenditure in Ohio. Crypto-backed super PAC Fairshake spent more than $46 million in an effort to defeat Brown. - Sherrod Brown's chances depend on key Ohio counties: Brown will look to perform strongly in working-class counties such as Mahoning and Portage, which have backed both Barack Obama and Donald Trump in previous elections. He will also try to cut into Husted's lead in the Appalachian region bordering West Virginia. - Delaware County remains important in Ohio: Democrats have gained ground in parts of Delaware County, which includes suburban areas of Columbus. The county could be important in the Senate contest. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has told Democratic supporters that the party is on the "brink of dramatic change" as it hopes to regain control of the House of Representatives. Speaking at a phone bank event in Washington, Jeffries said Democrats were close to ending what he described as "this national nightmare". Jeffries could become the first Black Speaker of the House if Democrats win control of the chamber and elect him to the position. A Democratic Party member also told Al Jazeera that the party's internal exit polls were predicting "a good night". Democrats have secured several victories in the US midterm elections, with Nikema Williams winning re-election to the House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th Congressional District. Democrat Jasmine Clark has also defeated Republican Jonathan Chavez to win Georgia's 13th Congressional District. In Florida, Democrat Oliver Gilbert has won the 24th Congressional District, while Republican Jim Schwartzel has secured victory in the 19th District. Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz has also retained her seat in Florida's 20th Congressional District. In Kentucky, Democrat Morgan McGarvey has won re-election in the 3rd Congressional District after defeating Republican challenger Maria Teresa Rodriguez by a wide margin. Republican Hal Rogers has also retained his seat in the 5th Congressional District. Rogers has represented the district since 1981. Democrat Mark Warner has won re-election to the US Senate from Virginia, defeating Republican challenger Bert Mizusawa. Addressing campaign volunteers, Jeffries said Democrats were "committed to ending this national nightmare, fighting to make this country affordable" and "continuing our country's long, necessary and majestic march toward a more perfect union." Around six in 10 voters disapprove of the way US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is handling its responsibilities, according to the AP Voter Poll. Nearly half of voters also believe the Trump administration has gone too far with its immigration enforcement actions. Around seven in 10 voters said immigration enforcement was either a "crucial" or "major" factor in their decision to vote for Congress. About four in 10 described it as a "crucial" factor. The AP Voter Poll found that around six in 10 voters "somewhat" or "strongly" disapprove of how ICE is carrying out its duties. The findings come amid protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Trump had made securing the US-Mexico border against illegal crossings a major priority. However, the administration's decision to deploy federal officers to arrest and deport immigrants sparked protests. The demonstrations in Minnesota also followed the deaths of two US citizens. Trump said the US would stop providing $4 billion in funding to Israel after the end of this year under an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Washington will continue selling weapons to Israel. The announcement came as US support for Israel faces growing criticism, particularly among Democrats. Exit polls conducted by SRSS on behalf of a group of US media organisations, including major television networks and the Associated Press, showed that many Americans viewed the midterm elections as an opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with Trump. Around half of the voters surveyed said they saw the 2026 midterms as a chance to rebuke the president. The findings also showed that nearly three-quarters of voters were "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the way the country was heading. Around 70% of those surveyed said they wanted Congress to impose more checks and balances on the president. Even before the 2026 midterm results are known, politicians from both parties are already preparing for the 2028 presidential election. Potential candidates are using the current election season to build their political profiles, strengthen relationships and gain support across the country. Several Democratic leaders who could enter the 2028 presidential race are directly involved in Tuesday's elections. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are among those whose names are being closely watched. Shapiro, in particular, will be hoping for a strong re-election victory in Pennsylvania, an important swing state. A convincing win could help him gain support among Democratic voters in early primary states such as South Carolina and New Hampshire. Other Democrats have also invested heavily in the midterm elections. They include California Governor Gavin Newsom and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association. Republican Vice President JD Vance is not contesting any seat in the midterms. However, the election results could have a major impact on his political future. Vance's position within the Republican Party is closely linked to Trump's political strength. If Republicans suffer heavy losses, Vance could face a greater challenge from other Republican leaders seeking the party's presidential nomination in 2028. The Trump administration's Justice Department has stepped up its criminal investigation into a candidate contesting the Alaska Senate race. The investigation centres on retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan, who is running for the Senate and shares his first and last name with Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan. The administration has reportedly informed prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias and others that they could be targets of the investigation. The information comes from two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Trump has claimed that Dan J. Sullivan's decision to run could confuse voters because of his name being similar to that of the sitting Republican senator. The New York Times reported that the campaign of Democrat Mary Peltola appeared to have played a role in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan to contest the election. Reacting to the investigation on Tuesday, Elias said, "This administration has repeatedly weaponized the DOJ against the President's political enemies despite zero evidence of wrongdoing, and we are the latest targets." Most American voters believe Donald Trump's economic policies have made conditions worse in the country, according to the AP Voter Poll. Around two-thirds of voters said Trump's policies had worsened the US economy. Only about 3 in 10 believed his policies had improved economic conditions. Voters were similarly critical of his trade policies, with around two-thirds saying Trump's tariffs had hurt the national economy. Their views of Trump's leadership and priorities were also largely negative. More than half of those surveyed said Trump was not a strong leader, did not fight for people like them and did not have the right priorities. More than half also questioned whether he had the mental ability to serve effectively as president. Around 6 in 10 voters said Trump gave greater importance to his personal interests than to the interests of the country. In comparison, about 4 in 10 believed he placed the country's interests first. The economy and the state of democracy are the two biggest concerns for American voters in this year's midterm elections. High living costs and concerns about government corruption are weighing heavily on voters as they cast their ballots on Tuesday. Around 4 in 10 voters across the country said the economy was the most important issue facing the US. Many also expressed concern about rising petrol prices and the cost of groceries. Around 3 in 10 voters named the state of democracy as their biggest concern. Only about 1 in 10 said immigration or healthcare was the most important issue. Even fewer pointed to foreign policy or crime. The survey also found that government corruption and the cost of living were major factors behind voting decisions. Around half of American voters said both issues were "crucial" to their choice of congressional candidates. Most American voters are unhappy with the way things are going in the country, according to the AP Voter Poll. The survey points to widespread frustration among voters and growing pessimism about the country's future. Around three-quarters of voters said they felt either "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the country's current direction. Only about one-quarter said they felt "satisfied" or "enthusiastic". Dissatisfaction was particularly high in Democratic-leaning states such as California and Massachusetts. However, even in strongly Republican states, a majority of voters said they were at least "dissatisfied". Voters also expressed concern about the economy. Around three-quarters described the country's economic condition as "not so good" or "poor". This is similar to what American adults have said in recent AP-NORC surveys over the past few months. The first polls of the night will close in most parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6 pm ET. However, election officials will not declare statewide winners in either state until the remaining polling stations close at 7 pm ET. Results could emerge earlier in the easternmost congressional districts of both states. Some of the key contests to watch during this hour include competitive US House races in Indiana's 5th Congressional District and Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has made another appeal to voters in northwest Ohio as polling continues in the state's governor's race. In a post on X, Ramaswamy urged voters to come out and cast their ballots. He said he would continue working for the region and repeated his promises to reduce property taxes and electricity bills. He also said he would work to protect what he described as the community's way of life. An Indian-American voter in Ashburn, Virginia, has said that Democrats are more supportive of the Indian-American community, citing attacks on Indians across the country. He believes Democrats offer greater acceptance and opportunities to Indian-Americans. According to him, this makes the party a better choice for the community in the 2026 midterm elections. The 2026 US midterm elections feature two interesting contests in which Indian-American candidates from opposing political parties are fighting for seats in the House of Representatives. From California's Silicon Valley to Seattle in Washington state, the contests highlight the different political views within the Indian-American community. Five-term Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna is seeking to retain his seat against Republican challenger Ritesh Tandon. Khanna has built his political profile around progressive economic policies and has close ties with Silicon Valley's technology industry. His key issues include economic equality, innovation and workers' rights. Tandon, a technology engineer and entrepreneur who immigrated to the US from India, is campaigning on high taxes, rising living costs, public safety and concerns within the technology sector. He is promising a more business-friendly and conservative approach to governance. The contest reflects the different political priorities among Indian-Americans in Silicon Valley. While Khanna has to balance his progressive political agenda with the interests of the region's technology industry, Tandon faces the challenge of gaining support in a district with a strong Democratic voter base. In Washington state, Democratic incumbent Pramila Jayapal is seeking another term against Republican challenger Nirav Sheth. Jayapal is a prominent progressive voice in Congress and has previously served as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She has campaigned for universal healthcare, workers' rights, immigration reform and economic equality. Sheth, meanwhile, is focusing on fiscal responsibility, public safety, business recovery and changes to urban governance. He is seeking support from voters concerned about Seattle's problems, including homelessness, housing affordability and crime. Jayapal's challenge will be to defend her record while addressing concerns over local issues. Sheth, on the other hand, will have to build a strong voter base in a district that strongly favours Democrats. He is also hoping to attract moderate and independent voters. Democratic candidates have maintained leads in the Senate races in Michigan and Maine, although questions remain about their chances of winning. In Michigan, Democratic nominee Dr Abdul El-Sayed has consistently led Republican opponent Mike Rogers in publicly released polls. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson has also led most recent polls, but his advantage has been smaller. Both states are being closely watched because of their history of producing unexpected election results. Michigan has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1994, although the state voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Maine has a different political history. Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has served five terms, is the incumbent. However, the state has voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1992. Both Democratic candidates have faced some doubts within their own parties despite their leads in opinion polls. In Florida, opinion polls have given Republican Senator Ashley Moody an advantage over Democratic candidate Angie Nixon in the Senate race. A New York Times/Siena poll conducted in mid-October showed Moody leading Nixon by six percentage points. Other surveys have also shown a similar advantage for the incumbent senator. The governor's race in the state appears closer. Republican candidate Byron Donalds is ahead of Democratic nominee David Jolly, although the gap between the two is smaller than in the Senate contest. The New York Times/Siena poll gave Donalds a four-percentage-point lead over Jolly. Democrats are hopeful of winning control of the House of Representatives, although the final picture may not become clear on election night. Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington state, who leads the House Democrats' campaign arm, said she was confident that her party would win a majority. However, she warned that it might take time before enough results were available to confirm the outcome. “I’m a West Coaster so I know our numbers won’t come in until closer to 11,” DelBene said. “We might have to wait a while later tonight before all the results come in.” The battle for control of Congress is expected to hinge on a handful of closely contested Senate and House races across the US. Democrats are targeting Republican-held seats in states that backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, while Republicans are fighting to protect their narrow majorities. Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Alaska are among the key battlegrounds where Democrats need victories to secure the four-seat gain required to take control of the Senate. North Carolina and Georgia are also important early indicators. Democrat Roy Cooper is seeking to flip an open Senate seat in North Carolina, while Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is defending his seat in Georgia. Michigan is another closely watched contest, where progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is challenging Republican Mike Rogers. In Minnesota, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is defending an open seat against Republican Michele Tafoya. Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, where Republican Brian Fitzpatrick is defending his suburban Philadelphia seat, is one of the early contests to watch. Florida's redrawn 22nd and 25th districts could also provide clues about the impact of Republican-led redistricting. In Virginia, Republican Representative Jen Kiggans faces a rematch against Democrat Elaine Luria in the 2nd District, while Democrat Shannon Taylor is challenging Republican Representative Rob Wittman in the 1st District. Technical problems, power outages and weather-related disruptions have affected polling operations in several states during the US midterm elections, leading to delays and, in some areas, extensions of voting hours. In Florida's Broward County, voting was delayed by 20 minutes at polling sites after a new safety feature malfunctioned. In North Carolina, the State Board of Elections is considering extending polling by an hour in seven counties following widespread technical issues. In New York's Westchester County, vote-counting problems have been linked to a software update made after polling equipment had initially been prepared and tested. Meanwhile, a polling station at an elementary school in Arizona's Maricopa County temporarily shut after a power outage, the cause of which has not been disclosed. Several counties in Pennsylvania have also extended polling hours by 30 minutes because of voting machine set-up issues. The 2026 US midterm elections are emerging as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s performance, with voter concerns over living costs, the economy and democracy shaping the contest. An AP Voter Poll found that roughly three-quarters of voters were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country, while about six in 10 blamed Trump’s policies for higher prices. Democrats are seeking control of the House and Senate to strengthen congressional checks on the president, while Republicans are counting on Trump’s support base to protect their majorities. The House race could hinge on competitive districts in Pennsylvania, Florida and Virginia, while Democrats need to flip four seats to take control of the Senate. The election is also testing whether Black, Hispanic and younger voters who shifted towards Trump in 2024 continue to support Republicans. More than 59 million Americans had voted before Election Day, with turnout and results from key battleground states expected to offer clues about the strength of both parties. Other major developments to watch include the impact of Republican and Democratic redistricting efforts, possible federal intervention in election administration and the ideological direction of the Democratic Party. Voter participation in Iowa is running ahead of previous midterm elections, with the closely watched Senate race emerging as a key indicator of voter sentiment towards President Donald Trump and his administration. At a polling station in Ankeny, 1,740 people had cast their ballots by the time CNN reported, including 41 newly registered voters. A precinct captain said turnout at that stage of the day was higher than during the corresponding period of the 2024 presidential election. In Des Moines, Iowa Secretary of State said he was “very confident” the state would set a new midterm turnout record, adding that participation was already “way past” the 2022 level.