Blue-nami: Democrats Take the U.S. House and Senate, and Trump Loses Congress
NBC projects a Democratic majority in both chambers. In the Senate, there were seven flips, from Texas to Maine, where Susan Collins lost; the tally goes to 54 to 44. In the House, the estimate is 258 Democratic seats to 177. In the states, Democrats took the governorships of Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Nevada.
Adapted translation of the Portuguese original. Read the original.
CartoonThe wave the exit polls announced became a blue-nami. NBC projected that Democrats win control of the U.S. Senate and House. Donald Trump loses both chambers of Congress at the midpoint of his term. On the morning of Wednesday (November 4), the Senate stood at 54 to 44 for the Democrats.
The American press already had a name for it. In October, on Fox News, host Bill Hemmer said that if Democrats reached 237 seats in the House, it would be a “blue-nami”: a tsunami in blue, the party's color. NBC's estimate for the House went past that: 258.
Follow the count, state by state, on Abestadão's tracking page.
Seven Flips in the Senate
Before the election, Republicans held 53 seats and Democrats 47. With Vice President J. D. Vance breaking ties, Democrats needed to flip four. They flipped seven, according to NBC:
- North Carolina: former governor Roy Cooper, with 58.7%.
- South Carolina: Annie Andrews, with 51.1%.
- Texas: James Talarico beat Ken Paxton 55.1% to 43%.
- Kansas: Hamilton, with 50.9%.
- Ohio: Sherrod Brown beat Jon Husted 50% to 45.2% in the special election seat.
- Iowa: Turek, with 50.5%.
- Maine: Troy Jackson beat Sen. Susan Collins 53.8% to 46.1%.
Democrats also held the seats in Michigan, with El-Sayed, and Minnesota, with Flanagan, where the Republican led for part of the night. On Wednesday morning, there was still no projection in Mississippi, tied at 48.9% for each side, or in Alaska.
The House
In the House, Democrats already had 231 seats projected against 144, with 29 flips, at 9:20 a.m. Brasília time. NBC's Decision Desk estimates the party will finish with 258 seats, against 177 for Republicans: a majority of 81. Before the election, Republicans held 218 and Democrats 214.
The Governorships
In the states, Democrats took from Republicans the governorships of Georgia, with Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta; of Ohio, where Amy Acton beat Vivek Ramaswamy; of Iowa; and of Nevada, where Ford beat Gov. Joe Lombardo. In Texas, Hinojosa led Gov. Greg Abbott 52.8% to 45.7%, with 94% of the vote counted, still without a projection. In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds took the governorship.
The Message From the Ballot Boxes
The CBS exit poll already showed the size of Trump's problem: only 38% approved of the president, less than George W. Bush had in 2006. Six in ten voters said Trump weighed on their House vote, and three in four were dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Gasoline at $4.15 a gallon, a record for an Election Day, helped. On the eve of the vote, Trump bombed Iran after promising he would not attack before the election.
On Tuesday morning, Trump had gotten out ahead of it: he said the sitting president “doesn't win” the midterms. He lost the entire Congress.
Sources
- 2026 House election results
At 11:01 p.m. New York time (1:01 a.m. Brasília), NBC projected that Democrats win control of the House. At 7:20 a.m. on 11/4 (9:20 a.m. Brasília), there were 231 Democratic and 144 Republican seats projected and 29 Democratic flips. The Decision Desk estimates 258 Democrats and 177 Republicans, a majority of 81.
Seat estimate, not an official result.
- 2026 Senate election results
NBC projected Democratic control of the Senate. At 7:20 a.m. on 11/4 (9:20 a.m. Brasília), the tally was 54 to 44, with seven flips: North Carolina (Roy Cooper, 58.7%), South Carolina (Annie Andrews, 51.1%), Texas (James Talarico, 55.1% to 43.0% over Ken Paxton), Kansas (Hamilton, 50.9%), Ohio (Sherrod Brown, 50.0% to 45.2% over Jon Husted), Iowa (Turek, 50.5%) and Maine (Troy Jackson, 53.8% to 46.1% over Susan Collins). Mississippi was tied at 48.9% and Alaska remained open.
- 2026 Governor election results
NBC projected Democratic flips in the governorships of Georgia (Keisha Lance Bottoms, 54.3%), Ohio (Amy Acton, 52.3% to 44.4% over Vivek Ramaswamy), Iowa (Sand, 55.5%) and Nevada (Ford, 51.7% to 44.2% over Gov. Joe Lombardo). In Texas, Hinojosa led Greg Abbott 52.8% to 45.7%, with 94% counted, marked as a flip but without a projection on the table.
- GOP gets nightmare prediction from Fox News: 'blue-nami'
In October, Fox News host Bill Hemmer said that a good night for Democrats, with 237 House seats to 198, could be called a blue-nami.
Reproduction of a Raw Story report; the remark is attributed to Fox News.
- 2026 elections live updates as midterm voters decide control of Congress
In the CBS exit poll, Trump's approval was at 38%, below George W. Bush in 2006. Six in ten voters said Trump weighed on their House vote, and three in four were dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Gasoline was at $4.15 a gallon, a record for an Election Day.
Exit poll numbers.
