In these images released on November 4, combo image shows Indian-American leaders Aruna Miller, top left, Pia Dandiya, top centre, Pramila Jayapal, top right, Suhas Subramanyam, bottom left, Ami Bera, bottom centre, and Ro Khanna, bottom right, who secured victories in the 2026 US midterm elections. (Handout via PTI Photo)
US mid-term polls LIVE: Iranian officials say results show voters have rejected Trump's war
Democratic control will profoundly reshape Trump's final two years in office and likely hamstring his agenda
Democrats have won control of the US House in addition to the US Senate, delivering a shockingly decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
The midterm elections Tuesday (November 3) channeled voters' deep frustrations over high prices, the Iran war and concerns over government corruption. Democrats routed their rivals across the map, from Texas to Iowa to New Hampshire, including states Trump won by double digits just two years ago.
Democratic control will profoundly reshape Trump's final two years in office and likely hamstring his agenda.
Trump’s veto threat
Trump has promised he would use his veto power to block Democrats’ agenda, forecasting the potential for gridlock in Washington.
Democrats charted an extraordinary path to Senate victory through some of the most conservative states in the nation.
The elections will drastically shift power in Washington. Democrats had been cautiously optimistic heading into Tuesday as they watched Republicans spend the campaign’s final stretch pumping tens of millions of dollars into states and districts that Trump won handily two years ago, and watched Trump campaign across some of the reddest states.
They had bet that discontent over Trump’s failure to stop inflation and perceptions that he's focused more on gilding the nation’s capital than easing their pain at the pump will turn the tide in their favor.
Republicans had held out hope their money advantage would help stem the tide, but they were bracing to lose control of the U.S. House and fighting to hang onto the U.S. Senate — an outcome that seemed unlikely earlier this year, given a map widely seen as favoring their party.
Also Read: After the midterms, will Trump resume Iran war?
Will US mid-term results dictate Trump’s move to resume Iran war?
Why should India worry about US midterm polls? This and other queries answered
Trump and the US midterms: A political asset or liability for Republicans?
Follow this space for more live updates
Live Updates
- 4 Nov 2026 2:09 PM IST
Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race, will become first Muslim senator
Progressive favourite Abdul El-Sayed has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan's open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party's left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation's most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation's first Muslim senator. A former public health official who has never held elected office, he rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan's Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the US Senate.
El-Sayed overcame massive outside spending in both the Democratic primary and general election with a grassroots campaign built around universal health care, removing outside money from elections and sharp criticism of Israel.
Backed by progressive leaders including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his victory will bolster the movement ahead of the 2028 presidential election, offering evidence that candidates embracing its agenda can win in critical battleground states.
Republicans had cleared the field for Rogers, a former congressman who narrowly lost a Senate race to then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin two years ago. But Rogers struggled to balance his loyalty to President Donald Trump with concerns over rising prices tied to the war in Iran and economic turmoil from the president's tariffs.
The campaign also featured bitter attacks over El-Sayed's criticism of Israel. Trump and other Republicans repeatedly sought to link him to terrorist organisations, despite no evidence of such ties, and questioned his loyalty to the United States.
El-Sayed faced questions about whether he could unite Democrats after a contentious primary, particularly among Black voters in Detroit and Jewish voters in its suburbs. El-Sayed's primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, shocked Democrats by endorsing Rogers on Nov. 1, saying the Democratic candidate hadn't done enough to address her and the Jewish community's concerns.
El-Sayed overcame concerns about a divided Democratic coalition
The race became a focal point in the national battle for Senate control after two-term Democratic Sen. Gary Peters decided not to seek reelection.
El-Sayed emerged from a bruising August primary against the establishment-backed Stevens that drew nearly USD 60 million in outside spending. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, spent nearly USD 30 million opposing El-Sayed, its largest investment in a single race. El-Sayed has been a staunch critic of Israel.
The contentious primary exposed divisions within the Democratic coalition. El-Sayed faced criticism from some in Michigan's Jewish community over his rhetoric, including his statement that “hurt people hurt people” following an attack on a Michigan synagogue earlier this year. He later apologised, saying he was “sorry” to “anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful.”
His campaign appearances with Hasan Piker, a popular political streamer who has made inflammatory comments about Israel, Jews and the Sept. 11 attacks, also became a target of criticism.
Some Democrats worried about Black voter turnout in Detroit after Stevens carried Wayne County in the primary. Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris were among the high-profile Democrats who campaigned with El-Sayed in the city to help mobilise voters.
Progressive agenda breaks through in Michigan
El-Sayed campaigned on an unapologetically progressive platform that made some moderate Democrats uneasy. Central to his campaign was Medicare for All, which would replace the current mix of private and public health insurance with a government-run, single-payer system.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders helped build momentum for El-Sayed early in the campaign, while Ocasio-Cortez joined him for a final campaign swing through Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the Detroit area.
The victory will give progressives a powerful argument heading into the 2028 presidential election that their agenda can win, even in the nation's most competitive battleground states.
Republicans opted to run it back with Rogers after his razor-thin 2024 loss, when Slotkin prevailed even as Trump won Michigan by more than a percentage point. Once a CNN contributor who criticised Trump, Rogers has aligned himself more closely with the president in recent years.
Rogers tried to expand his support among Democrats and independents, particularly Black and Jewish voters.
But the political environment raised a fresh challenge for the Republican nominee. Rogers, who chaired the House Intelligence Committee and built much of his career around national security, had to navigate high fuel prices and an unpopular war with Iran while remaining aligned with Trump.
“The war with Iran needs to end, and end quickly,” Rogers wrote on social media in September. AP
- 4 Nov 2026 1:49 PM IST
James Talarico: 'We defeated Goliath'
"In this race, we went up against our own Goliaths. The richest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, and the entire Washington D.C. establishment. David wasn't as big or as strong as Goliath. He didn't have as many weapons. But he had hope. He had faith. And he had a slingshot. You were my slingshot. The people of Texas were my slingshot. And tonight, we defeated Goliath," says James Talarico in his victory speech. He is the first Democrat to win Texas Senate seat since 1988.
- 4 Nov 2026 1:36 PM IST
Republican candidate criticised for racist post concedes defeat in a Texas election
Republican candidate Bo French, who faced widespread criticism on social media over his racist posts, has conceded defeat in the Texas Railroad Commissioner election to Democrat Jon Rosenthal.
French faced backlash after posting an image of an event at a Texas university showing a gathering of predominantly South Asian people, including Indians.
"I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined," he posted on social media in September.
"Like body-cams exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners. It’s everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine," he said in another post on the same day.
Although he was contesting the election for Railroad Commissioner, he invited criticism from across the world on social media, including India, for his remarks.
Bo French conceded Tuesday night to Jon Rosenthal, a dramatic upset that broke decades of complete Republican control over Texas’ oil and gas commission.
"Tonight wasn’t the night our campaign had hoped for," French posted on social media.
French thanked his supporters, saying, "I will never forget your dedication, your friendship, and, above all, your love for the great state of Texas."
Rosenthal declared victory after Bo French conceded although final results are yet to be declared, the Texas Tribune reported.
The Texas Railroad Commission oversees the state’s oil and gas industry, including drilling, pipelines, natural gas facilities, well plugging and oil-field waste, Fox 4 news portal reported.
- 4 Nov 2026 1:31 PM IST
Obama: American people have sent a clear message
Former US President Barack Obama reacts to midterm poll results.
- 4 Nov 2026 1:19 PM IST
Keisha becomes first black woman governor in US history
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the race for Georgia governor, the first gubernatorial pickup for either party. She is the first Black woman elected governor of any state. In neighboring Florida, Republican Byron Donalds was elected as the state’s first Black governor.
- 4 Nov 2026 1:01 PM IST
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeats Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s US Senate race, defeating Republican Mike Rogers, according to the Associated Press.
- 4 Nov 2026 1:00 PM IST
Democrats secure House majority with 224 seats: Report
Democrats have secured 224 seats in the House of Representatives, surpassing the 218 needed for a majority, while vote counting continues. Republicans have won 134 seats so far, according to the Associated Press.
- 4 Nov 2026 12:54 PM IST
Nikki Haley urges Republicans to refocus on economic policies
Former South Carolina Governor and US diplomat Nikki Haley said Republicans must refocus on economic issues after the midterm elections. She urged the party to prioritise economic freedom, lower taxes and smaller government.
In a post on X, Haley called on Republicans to avoid distractions and return to work on behalf of the American people.
- 4 Nov 2026 12:37 PM IST
Democrat Richard Pan wins California’s 6th Congressional district race
Democrat Richard Pan has won the election to represent California’s 6th Congressional District in the US House, according to the Associated Press.
