US Midterm Elections 2026: Democrats take early Senate victory as polls close

Polls closed across much of the US on Tuesday, with Democrats securing an early victory in their bid to regain control of the Senate after two years of President Donald Trump's administration.

Early results began to offer an indication of the midterm outcome, with the campaign shaped by voter concerns over the rising cost of living and higher fuel prices following the US-Israel war against Iran.

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Senator Jon Ossoff, whose speeches attacking Trump over leveraging his office for personal gain have launched him into Democratic stardom, is projected to win his race, according to the Associated Press and other news organizations. While his victory is a hold for Democrats, it boosts the party’s chances of taking control of the chamber.

Democrats at an advantage

States that have fully or partially closed polls include Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Texas and Kansas.

Both polling and historical trends favor Democrats to take a majority in the House of Representatives, while Senate control remains harder to predict. To be sure, elections have become harder to predict in the decade since Trump’s 2016 victory, when he defied polls to win the presidency.

Democrats have grown increasingly bullish as opinion polls show them holding an advantage. Republicans have been forced to spend time and money defending seats in typically red states including Kansas, Texas, Alaska and South Carolina.

Voters reported grievances with the president’s leadership, according to The Voter Poll, a comprehensive survey conducted by the Associated Press and SSRS. About three-quarters of midterm voters said they felt “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the direction of the country under Trump. About six in 10 attributed high prices “more to Trump’s policies” than factors outside his control.

US markets imapct
US equity futures fell and the dollar weakened as early results and prediction markets pointed to increasing chances of a Democratic victory, raising the likelihood of Washington gridlock.