With Democrats projected to take the House and threatening Republican control of the Senate, US President Donald Trump offered his explanation for his party's setbacks: he had not been on the ballot.
“I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote on Truth Social as results delivered a series of blows to Republican candidates.
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The claim followed a campaign in which Trump had urged supporters to vote as though he were running. At a rally in Kansas before election day, he asked voters to “pretend I'm on the ballot”, arguing that his presence drove higher turnout.
Instead, Democrats made gains in Republican territory as voters registered their frustration over living costs and the economy. An Associated Press analysis found that voters who considered Trump a factor in their decision were substantially more likely to vote against him than for him.
Republican Strongholds Fall
South Carolina delivered one of the night's biggest upsets. Democratic paediatrician Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, according to media projections, winning a Senate seat in a state that had not elected a Democrat to the chamber since 1998.
Graham, who had Trump's backing, was appointed after the death of her brother, longtime senator Lindsey Graham, in July.
The result followed a Democratic pickup in North Carolina, where former governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman endorsed by Trump. Cooper's victory took another Republican-held seat out of the party's column.
Republicans entered election day with a 53–47 Senate majority, meaning Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control. The North Carolina and South Carolina victories put two of those gains within their grasp, while other contests remained unresolved.
Democrats also defended important seats. Jon Ossoff won re-election in Georgia, while Chris Pappas won in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. The party also flipped the Georgia governor's office.
In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton defeated Trump-backed Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in the governor's race. Her victory, projected by the Associated Press, made her the first woman elected governor of the state and ended a two-decade wait for a Democratic victory in that contest.
The defeat came in Vice President JD Vance's home state, despite campaign appearances by both Vance and Trump on Ramaswamy's behalf.
A House Loss Could Revive The Impeachment Fight
For Trump, losing the House would mean more than struggling to pass legislation. Democratic committee chairs would gain the ability to launch investigations, demand documents and call administration officials to testify.
It would also put the power to pursue impeachment back in Democratic hands.
Trump experienced that after the 2018 midterms, when Democrats captured the House. In December 2019, the chamber impeached him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate acquitted him. He was impeached again in January 2021 and again acquitted.
A third impeachment would require a decision by House lawmakers to pursue specific allegations. Democratic control would make that possible; it would not make it certain.
Removal would remain a much higher hurdle. Conviction requires the support of two-thirds of senators present, so even a Democratic Senate majority would need substantial support beyond its own ranks.
More immediately, a Democratic House could force Trump into negotiations over spending and block legislation his Republican allies wanted to advance. Losing the Senate as well would threaten his ability to secure confirmation for federal judges and senior administration officials.
Trump would retain the presidency and his veto. But the congressional partners who helped advance his programme could be replaced by opponents with the power to investigate it.
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