US midterms 2026 big wins and upsets: Amy Acton stuns Vivek Ramaswamy; Annie Andrews topples Lindsey Graham’s sister Darline

Democrats scored major upsets in the 2026 US midterm elections, with Amy Acton defeating Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio and Annie Andrews defeating Darline Graham, the sister of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, in South Carolina.

Democrat James Talarico also won the Senate race in Texas, while Democrats flipped a Senate seat in North Carolina and held on in battleground Georgia.

You can follow all the latest developments, results and updates from the US midterm elections here


The results marked a setback for Republicans as President Donald Trump’s party fought to retain control of Congress for the final two years of his second term. The elections also produced mixed results for Indian-American candidates, with Democrats Suhas Subramanyam, Aruna Miller and Pia Dandiya recording victories, while Ramaswamy lost the Ohio governor’s race.

Republicans entered the election with narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. In the House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson’s party had 218 Republicans and one independent, Kevin Kiley of California, against 214 Democrats, with two seats vacant.

The Senate was divided 53-47 in favour of Republicans. Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber.

Amy Acton defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio

Democrat Amy Acton defeated Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race, according to Reuters.

The contest was among the most closely watched races of the midterm elections. Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 Republican presidential candidate, had secured the Republican nomination with endorsements from Trump and the state Republican Party.

Acton, a physician and former Ohio state health director, became widely recognised during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was seeking to reclaim the governor’s office for Democrats after two decades, even as Ohio had increasingly tilted towards Republicans in recent elections.

Ramaswamy was contesting to succeed outgoing Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who was barred from seeking another term due to term limits.

Acton’s victory marked a setback for Republicans in a state where the governor’s office had previously been held by the party.

Also Read: US midterm elections 2026: Democrats flip the script, take House and Senate in major rebuke to Trump

James Talarico wins Senate race in Texas

Democrat James Talarico won election to the US Senate from Texas, adding to Democratic gains in traditionally Republican territory.

Texas has remained a Republican stronghold in recent elections, making Talarico’s victory significant for Democrats.

The party also made gains in the Texas governor’s race, where Democrat Gina Hinojosa was leading Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, according to early projections cited in the results coverage.

Annie Andrews ends Democratic drought in South Carolina

Democrat Annie Andrews won the South Carolina Senate race, defeating Republican Darline Graham in a major upset.

The victory ended decades of Republican dominance in the state. Andrews became the first Democrat elected to a US Senate seat from South Carolina since 1998 and the first woman elected to represent the state in the Senate.

Darline Graham had been serving as interim senator after the death of her brother, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, earlier this year. Trump, who had been a close ally of Lindsey Graham, endorsed and campaigned for her.

“I think we just made some history,” Andrews told jubilant supporters after her win. “The Senate seat does not belong to one family, one party or to Washington, D.C."

Before facing Andrews, Darline Graham had defeated better-known Republicans in a closely fought special primary.

Andrews benefited from wider dissatisfaction with Republicans and Trump. She had already been campaigning for more than a year and had won the Democratic primary outright when Lindsey Graham died.

During their only debate last month, Andrews and Darline Graham clashed over the economy, the war in Iran and artificial intelligence. They also questioned each other’s qualifications for the Senate.

Andrews had fallen short in a 2022 challenge to Representative Nancy Mace but remained politically active. Before her Senate campaign, she had never held elected office or contested a statewide race.

A New York Times/Siena poll in October indicated a close contest, giving Democrats an opening in a state that Trump had won by nearly 20 percentage points two years earlier.

Voter Brent Chaplin said he had traditionally supported Republican candidates but could not vote for Graham.

“You just can’t go and say, ‘I’m a Republican. I’m just going to vote Republican,’” Chaplin said after voting in Fort Mill. “You’ve got to put some brain power into it and think about it. So hopefully, it is a message to the powers that be to wake up, pick better candidates.”

Before Andrews’ victory, Fritz Hollings was the last Democrat elected to a Senate seat in South Carolina. Republicans have held both Senate seats since Hollings left office in 2005.

Democrats flip North Carolina Senate seat

Democrats also flipped a Senate seat in North Carolina, with former Governor Roy Cooper defeating Republican Michael Whatley.

The result added to Democratic momentum as the party sought to break the Republican hold on the Senate.

Democrats also held on in battleground Georgia.

House candidates record wins

Democrats secured several victories in the House of Representatives.

Democrat Summer Lee won re-election in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, while Mary Scanlon won re-election in Pennsylvania’s 5th District.

Wesley Bell won re-election in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. Eugene Vindman won re-election in Virginia’s 7th District, while André Carson retained Indiana’s 7th District.

James Clyburn won re-election in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.

Republicans also recorded victories. Ed Gallrein won election in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, while S. Guthrie won in Kentucky’s 2nd District.

Sydney Gruters won election in Florida’s 16th Congressional District. Jimmy Patronis won re-election in Florida’s 1st District, while Sheri Biggs retained South Carolina’s 3rd District.

Nicole Malliotakis won re-election in New York’s 11th Congressional District. Darin LaHood retained Illinois’ 16th District, while Diana Harshbarger won re-election in Tennessee’s 1st District.

Dan Koh won election in Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District, while Bill Keating retained Massachusetts’ 9th District.

Indian-American Democrat Pia Dandiya defeated a Marine veteran to win Florida’s 22nd Congressional District.

Mixed results for Indian-American candidates

The midterms produced mixed results for Indian-American candidates.

Democrat Suhas Subramanyam, 40, won re-election to the US House from Virginia. Aruna Miller, 61, will continue as Maryland’s lieutenant governor.

Pia Dandiya, 39, also won Florida’s 22nd Congressional District.

Ramaswamy’s defeat in Ohio was a setback for Indian-American Republicans. Several other Indian-American candidates, including sitting lawmakers Ro Khanna, Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal, were seeking re-election.

Democrat Amish Shah was contesting a competitive race in an attempt to enter Congress.

In Los Angeles, Democrat Nithya Raman, who was born in Kerala, was involved in a closely watched mayoral contest against her former boss, Karen Bass.