WASHINGTON — Democrats will run both chambers of Congress next year.
The Associated Press called the Senate and the House for the party after Tuesday’s midterm elections, in what AP called a rebuke to President Donald Trump.
As of 4:09 a.m. EST Wednesday, AP’s count gave Democrats 54 Senate seats and Republicans 44, with Alaska and Mississippi still uncalled.
The House margin was wider. Democrats had won 228 seats to Republicans’ 139, 10 more than the 218 needed for a majority, and 68 seats hadn’t been called.
AP’s count also showed Democrats holding 27 governorships to 20 for Republicans.
Democrats entered the night needing a net gain of four Senate seats and three House seats. By 1:30 a.m. EST, they had flipped seven Republican-held Senate seats and 16 House seats, according to AP race calls reported by Spectrum News. Republicans had not picked up a Democratic seat in either chamber.
Jeffries in line for speaker’s gavel
The results put House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York in line to become the first Black speaker of the House. He faces a vote of his colleagues when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3.
The speaker is second in line to the presidency and holds the only congressional leadership post the Constitution requires. Parties usually choose their leaders in internal caucus elections in November, and the full House elects its speaker among its first orders of business.
Jeffries’ rise would cap more than 150 years of history that began when the first Black American won a House seat during Reconstruction, AP reported. It would also come as many civil rights gains of the 20th century face new challenges, often from the Trump administration.
Supporters greeted Jeffries with chants of “Speaker! Speaker!” at the Democrats’ watch party in Washington.
“This is not a partisan moment. This is a patriotic one.”
Jeffries called the vote a change election and said Americans want “transformational change.” Addressing voters directly, he added: “We hear you.”
The 56-year-old Brooklyn native, a lawyer educated at New York University, has served in Congress since 2013 and is the highest-ranking Black elected official in the country. He would take the gavel from Republican Speaker Mike Johnson as Democrats prepare to confront Trump in his final two years.
Trump has taunted Jeffries publicly and privately. He once posted a fake image on social media showing the Democratic leader wearing a sombrero outside the White House.
Obama: voters ‘sent a clear message’
Former President Barack Obama weighed in on X. In his post, he said voters want politics that brings people together, and leaders with concrete solutions to the problems they face.
He credited candidates who ran in every part of the country, including places once seen as long shots. He also thanked election officials and volunteers from both parties for a smooth election.
With the administration in office for two more years, Obama wrote, the task now is to “make changes wherever we have the power to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future.”
Virginia: Warner wins, two House races too close to call
In Virginia, AP called the Senate race for Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, who won a fourth term over Republican Bert Mizusawa, a retired Army major general. With about 97% of the expected vote counted, Warner had 61% to Mizusawa’s 38.8%.
AP has called nine of the state’s 11 House seats, seven for Democrats and two for Republicans. Democrats held six of the seats before the election, the Virginia Mercury reported.
The only flip so far came in the Virginia Beach-centered 2nd District. Former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria beat Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans there in a rematch, and AP called it at 11:47 p.m.
Democratic Reps. Bobby Scott, Jennifer McClellan, Eugene Vindman, Don Beyer, Suhas Subramanyam and James Walkinshaw all won. On the Republican side, Reps. Ben Cline in the 6th District and Morgan Griffith in the 9th held on.
AP also projected that voters approved all three proposed amendments to the state constitution. They protect abortion rights, guarantee marriage equality and restore voting rights to people after incarceration.
Two races remained uncalled early Wednesday. In the 1st District, Democrat Shannon Taylor led Republican Rep. Rob Wittman 50.5% to 49.3% with about 99% of the vote counted. Taylor has declared victory.
The 5th District was tighter. Republican Rep. John McGuire was ahead of Democrat Tom Perriello 49.9% to 48.4% at 12:15 a.m., with 97.4% counted, according to AP figures. McGuire has claimed the win. Perriello says it’s too close to call and that every vote must be counted.
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