Midterm shock for Trump: Democrats regain Congress, Republicans fall in Texas, Kansas

Democrats were projected to regain both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's US midterm elections, breaking through in Republican strongholds as frustration over living costs and President Donald Trump's leadership reshaped the electoral map.

The results handed Trump a major defeat, with several candidates he backed losing races Republicans had expected to win. Democrat victories stretched from traditional battlegrounds to Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina, while exit polls pointed to weakening Republican support among young and Hispanic voters, reported Reuters.

ALSO READ | ‘Good job’ Democrats, ‘VETO’ hat, Iran threat: Trump’s wild swings today Here are seven key takeaways from the results. The Democratic gains reached well beyond the states usually considered competitive, producing Senate upsets in places where the party had struggled for decades.

James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, becoming the state's first Democratic senator-elect in 38 years. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton beat incumbent Roger Marshall, giving Democrats their first Senate victory in the state since 1932.

Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham in South Carolina, where Democrats had not won a US Senate election this century. Sherrod Brown also flipped a Republican-held Senate seat in Ohio, a state Trump carried in each of his three presidential victories.

Democrats benefited from strong turnout among their supporters and backing from independents. Their decision to contest every race also paid off in constituencies that had appeared beyond reach only months earlier. ALSO READ | How Trump’s India trade deal pitch, peace claims ran into reality check Economic dissatisfaction was central to the Republican losses, outweighing the party's attempts to portray Democrats as radicals, reported news agency AP.

Nearly nine in 10 voters described the cost of living as a crucial or major consideration, according to exit polls conducted by SSRS for a consortium of US media organisations. Nearly two-thirds blamed Trump for high prices.

The AP Voter Poll separately found that about six in 10 voters attributed higher-than-usual prices more to Trump's policies. Roughly three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the country's direction. Trump returned to office in 2024 promising to tackle inflation.

This time, voters confronting expensive groceries and fuel wanted answers on household costs, while his tariffs and the war against Iran added to economic discontent. Several of the night's Republican setbacks involved candidates Trump had promoted despite reservations within local party ranks.

Paxton lost decisively in Texas, while Darline Graham was defeated in South Carolina. In North Carolina, Trump-backed Michael Whatley lost the Senate contest to Democratic former governor Roy Cooper. The defeats raised fresh questions about Trump's preference for loyalists and whether those candidates could attract support beyond his core voters.

The AP Voter Poll found that roughly six in 10 voters disapproved of his performance. About 70% wanted Congress to exercise stronger checks on the presidency, signalling a broader demand to constrain his authority. ALSO READ | Iran says US voters sent ‘no to war’ message in midterm elections