Democrats gain Senate seats, majority still uncertain
New victories bring the party closer to control of the US Congress.
There is news on this story (Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 05:47): Democrats win majorities in both chambers of Congress
Follow-up to: Democrats retake House of Representatives Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 04:48
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The Democrats have won or retained several important Senate seats in the US midterms. This brings a Senate majority within reach, but the result was still not final at 05:15 Dutch time.
The Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take over the Republican majority in the Senate. According to Associated Press, they won in Texas and South Carolina, among other states, while Senator Jon Ossoff retained his seat in Georgia. Democratic victories in North Carolina and New Hampshire had not yet both been confirmed.
The results are politically important because, before the election, the Republicans held 53 Senate seats, compared with 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with the Democrats. The party must not only capture Republican seats, but also retain its own. NOS had previously reported that this required a net gain of four seats.
In Texas, James Talarico became, according to AP, the first Democrat in more than thirty years to win a statewide election in the state. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews won the Senate seat; according to AP, she will be the first woman from that state in the Senate and the first Democrat to win a Senate seat there in more than twenty years. Results like these point to a shift in states that had long been considered reliably Republican.
The Democratic gains follow a campaign in which high prices, economic concerns and dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump played a major role. According to the AP voter poll, around three-quarters of respondents said the economy was not doing well or was poor. Around eight in ten said inflation had affected their household financially to a moderate or serious degree.
Trump suggested that his own participation in the election would have delivered a Republican victory. He wrote on his social network that the Republicans would have won by a large majority with him on the ballot. That statement is a political response, not an independent explanation of the result.
If the Democrats also take control of the Senate, they will be able to block and scrutinise Trump's appointments and legislation much more effectively, and launch investigations into government policy. The president retains an important means of blocking Democratic legislation through his veto power. The precise balance of power still depends on races that have not been decided and on official confirmation of the results.
For Dutch readers, the key point is that a divided Congress, or one controlled by the Democrats, could reduce the room for Trump's foreign and economic agenda. The election result is therefore not yet a policy decision, but it could lead to more political conflict in the second half of Trump's term.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Democrats have won or retained several Senate races.
- Four net seats are needed for a majority.
- The Senate result was still not final at 05:15 Dutch time.
- The president retains veto power over legislation.
Left
Arguments A Democratic majority can hold the Trump administration to account, put social and economic measures on the agenda, and launch investigations into abuses of power.
Values Institutional oversight, social protection and limiting executive power.
Consequences More scrutiny of the government and potentially policies addressing the high cost of living, but also sharper political confrontations.
Centre
Arguments The result calls for cooperation between Congress and the president; voters have primarily made a correction without automatically giving a full mandate for Democratic policies.
Values Government stability, constitutional oversight and feasibility.
Consequences Divided government can curb more extreme proposals, but delay decisions on the budget and international issues.
Right
Arguments A Democratic Congress could seize on the election result to conduct politically motivated investigations and block necessary Republican measures.
Values Strong executive government, security and room for the president's electoral mandate.
Consequences More institutional paralysis and possible use of the presidential veto, with a risk of prolonged partisan conflict.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's core is based on current reporting by AP, NOS and CBS News. The Senate majority is deliberately not presented as established, because the sources report outstanding races and preliminary results.
- confirmed The Democrats needed a net gain of four Senate seats for a majority. — NOS and AP report that the Democrats had to win four seats. source
- confirmed Before the election, the Republicans held 53 Senate seats, compared with 45 Democrats and two independents. — This seat distribution appears in the NOS live blog. source
- confirmed The Democrats won important races in Texas and South Carolina. — AP mentions the victories of James Talarico and Annie Andrews. source
- confirmed Jon Ossoff retained his Senate seat in Georgia. — AP and NOS report his victory. source
- confirmed James Talarico became the first Democrat in more than thirty years to win a statewide election in Texas. — This historical context appears in the AP report. source
- confirmed Around three-quarters of voters thought the economy was not doing well or was poor. — AP reports this based on the AP Voter Poll. source
- confirmed Trump wrote that the Republicans would have won by a large majority with him on the ballot. — AP quotes his post on his social network. source
- confirmed A Democratic majority can exercise stronger oversight of Trump's appointments and policies, while he retains veto power. — CBS News quotes Trump on using his veto; AP describes the consequences of Democratic control of a chamber of Congress. source
Editor's note
The Democrats have won several important Senate races, but a majority had not been officially established when this article was written. The sources refer to preliminary results and outstanding races.Sources
The story so far
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 06:46 Americans vote today on Trump's power base
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 21:47 Counting problems delay US midterm result
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 00:46 First polling stations close, early US midterm results could still shift
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 02:45 Democrat Roy Cooper wins Senate seat in North Carolina
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 04:48 Democrats retake House of Representatives
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 05:16 Democrats gain Senate seats, majority still uncertain (this article)
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 05:47 Democrats win majorities in both chambers of Congress
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „amerikaanse midterms”
- Het Parool — „amerikaanse midterms”
- Trouw — „amerikaanse midterms”