Democrats take both chambers as turnout tops 124 million

More than 124 million ballots were cast in Tuesday’s midterm elections, a number that surpasses the previous record of nearly 119 million set in 2018. The University of Florida Election Lab is tracking the totals, and counting was still underway as of Wednesday morning.

Democrats secured control of both the House and the Senate. The party flipped seven Senate seats and dozens of House districts that Republicans previously held. These victories extended into states traditionally considered Republican strongholds, including surprising wins in Texas and South Carolina. Races in Mississippi and Alaska remained too close to call on Wednesday.

The new Democratic majorities will take office in January. This shift gives the administration’s opponents more power to conduct investigations, challenge the legislative agenda, and block presidential nominees. President Trump offered mixed messages as the results came in. In an interview, he congratulated the Democrats for their hard work. In a separate phone interview, he argued that Republicans struggled to turn out his supporters because his name was not on the ballot.

The president also posted an image of a red hat with the word “VETO” on it. This move highlighted his authority to reject legislation passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress. Despite the partisan shifts, he expressed a willingness to negotiate and work with the new majority to reach agreements.

Democrats must still choose their new leaders. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York currently hold the top leadership positions in the Senate and House, respectively. Both need support from their colleagues to retain those roles. Jeffries must also win a vote from the full House to become speaker when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3.

If elected, Jeffries would become the first Black speaker in U.S. History. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Jeffries. She praised his leadership following the Democratic victory.