Midterm Results: Republicans Keep Control of Both Congressional Chambers

The Republican Party retained its majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate following the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats held 212 seats in the lower chamber prior to the vote. They needed 218 seats to seize control but failed to reach that threshold. All 435 House seats were up for re-election because members serve two-year terms.

In the Senate, Republicans also kept their majority. Thirteen regular seats and two special seats were contested this cycle. The special elections in Florida and Ohio filled vacancies created when Marco Rubio and JD Vance resigned from the Senate. Both men left the upper chamber to join the executive branch after the 2024 presidential election.

Voters in 36 states and three territories chose their governors. Before this election, the governorships were split evenly with 18 seats held by each party. Three incumbent governors retired, opening their positions to new candidates. Voters selected these leaders by direct popular vote, with the highest vote count determining the winner.

The House of Representatives holds exclusive powers to initiate revenue bills and impeach federal officials. It also elects the president if the Electoral College is tied. The chamber is presided over by a speaker chosen by the representatives. The Senate, with 100 members, gives each state equal representation regardless of population size.

Wyoming, with a population under 600,000, holds the same Senate weight as California, which has nearly 40 million residents. The Senate approves senior presidential appointments and ratifies treaties. One-third of Senate seats are elected every two years. This structure ensures smaller states maintain equal legislative influence in the upper chamber.

Voting systems varied by state during these contests. Most states used a plurality system where the top vote-getter wins. Georgia and Louisiana required candidates to win 50% of the vote, triggering runoffs if no majority was achieved. Maine and Alaska used ranked-choice voting for congressional races, eliminating the least-supported candidate until a majority was reached.

Some states used top-two primary systems where all candidates compete in one primary. The top two vote-getters advanced to the general election regardless of party. This meant the final two candidates in some races could share the same party affiliation. The Associated Press reported results by declaring winners once trailing candidates had no path to victory. Final tallies reflected a competitive national contest with updated turnout data.