Overview
- The Democratic Party captured majorities in the House and the Senate in the Nov. 3 midterms, a shift that ends Republican control of Congress and will take effect when the new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027.
- Two Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi remain unresolved and close counts have prompted presidential intervention and legal scrutiny, with Trump publicly pressing for changes in Alaska’s tally.
- Democratic wins at the state level in several key states have put the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact within reach by adding electors if state legislatures pass the necessary laws, but the compact would still require more state action and faces likely court challenges up to the Supreme Court.
- Republicans have begun a public reckoning over the losses, with leaders such as J.D. Vance and Ron DeSantis blaming the Iran war and party strategy, and House GOP leader Mike Johnson announcing he will not seek the minority-leader post.
- With control of committees, Democrats can open subpoenas, block parts of the administration’s agenda and pursue investigations, while experts warn a weakened president could act unpredictably on foreign policy before January or push executive actions that Democrats may try to check in court.