Washington: The Democratic Party has made a strong comeback in the US midterm elections, wresting control of both chambers of Congress from the ruling Republicans and dealing a significant setback to President Donald Trump’s political agenda.
The results have sent a clear political message that voters expect elected representatives to prioritise public interests over partisan considerations.
Although Trump will remain in office for the next two years, the Democrats’ control of Congress is expected to make it more difficult for his administration to push through its legislative agenda without opposition.
The Democratic wave also extended to gubernatorial races, with the party making significant gains across several states. The results challenged several pre-election surveys, which had failed to anticipate the scale of the Democratic resurgence.
According to figures available at the time of writing, Democrats had won 222 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives, while Republicans had secured 138. Results for 75 seats were still awaited.
In the Senate, Democrats secured a majority, with the party and its aligned members reaching 54 seats. Two race results were still pending.
The Senate has 100 members, with elections held every two years for roughly one-third of its seats. This year, voters went to the polls for 35 Senate seats.
The outcome marks a major shift in the balance of power in Washington, with Democrats set to exercise greater influence over legislation, government oversight and the administration’s policy agenda.
