Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate and were on the brink of taking the House in Tuesday's 2026 midterm elections, a sweeping repudiation of President Donald Trump that reached into reliably Republican states and ended Iowa's decade of single-party control in Des Moines.
Democrat Rod Sand defeated his Republican opponent to win the Iowa governor's race on Nov. 3, according to The Star, breaking a Republican trifecta that has controlled state government for roughly ten years. Sand was one of four Democrats to flip GOP-held governorships, joining Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio and Gina Hinojosa in Texas.
What Rod Sand Told Supporters in Des Moines
Speaking to an energized crowd of Democrats in Des Moines, Sand said Iowans sent a clear message on Tuesday.
“We have to have bigger hearts and minds than just our party,” Sand said. “Come January, we will be forced to work together.”
Sand told lawmakers he looks forward to working across the aisle to address Iowa's problems, a nod to the reality that Republicans still hold significant ground at the Statehouse even after losing the governor's office. He closed his election night speech with a crowd rendition of “America the Beautiful,” a tradition he has asked attendees to sing at each of his town halls. He also paid tribute to his late brother-in-law, Walter Lauridsen, who died unexpectedly last month.
Democrats Take the Senate, Nearing the House
Nationally, the night was a rout for Republicans. Democrats flipped six Senate seats and more than half a dozen House seats, with the House still too early to call, AP reporting shows. Texas, Kansas and South Carolina elected Democratic senators for the first time in decades, and Democrats also flipped Senate seats in North Carolina and Ohio.
Sherrod Brown returned to the Senate from Ohio, defeating Republican Jon Husted in one of the most expensive Senate races in the country, with more than $500 million spent by campaigns and outside groups.
“You sent an undeniable message tonight: Ohio is not for sale,” Brown told supporters.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat in line to lead the chamber again, told reporters in Washington that “Americans voted for change” and that the election produced a “generational remake of the Senate map.”
Why Republicans Lost, According to GOP Strategists
Republican campaign officials were blunt in assigning blame to Trump for the losses, particularly in Senate races, AP News reported. Two officials with Senate campaigns, speaking anonymously to describe internal conversations, said the defeats in South Carolina, Ohio and Texas, all states Trump carried easily in 2024, were a direct repudiation of the president.
The strategists said voters were unhappy with his policies and felt he had worsened their cost-of-living concerns, and that the broader party apparatus understands Trump and his team cost Republicans the elections. Trump had urged voters to pretend he was on the ballot, and they did, just not the way he hoped.
Even Texas, the crown jewel of the Republican map, fell. State Rep. James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton for the first Democratic statewide win in Texas since 1994, and Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott, ending his bid for an unprecedented fourth term. Trump responded by calling Abbott a “RINO,” a Republican In Name Only, on Truth Social.
Wayne Hamilton, a former Texas GOP executive director, did not mince words: “Does we got our butts kicked summarise it distinctly enough?”
Trump Says He Will Accept Results
Watching returns from the White House, Trump told The New York Times late Tuesday that he would respect the outcome and work with Democrats.
“I am absolutely willing to accept those results,” Trump said shortly before 10:30 p.m. “We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out.”
Democratic control of the Senate will reshape Trump's final two years in office and likely limit his ability to advance his agenda, including his hopes for continuing a conservative shift on the Supreme Court. Trump has promised to use his veto power to block Democratic legislation, setting up the prospect of gridlock in Washington, PBS NewsHour reported.
What It Means for Iowa
For Iowa, Sand's win ends one of the longest Republican trifectas in the country. GOP lawmakers still hold legislative power in significant measure, meaning January brings a divided state government for the first time in about a decade.
That division will test whether Sand's call for bipartisan cooperation translates into results on property taxes, school funding and agriculture policy, the bread-and-butter issues that dominate the legislative session. Republicans who have controlled the agenda will now have to negotiate with a governor from the other party.
Nationally, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who could become the first Black speaker if his party secures the majority, framed the night in patriotic terms.
“Today begins the great American comeback,” Jeffries told a cheering crowd. “We're going to work hard to deliver on the dramatic change that you deserve.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Iowa governor's race in 2026?
Democrat Rod Sand won the Iowa governor's race on Nov. 3, 2026, defeating his Republican opponent and ending about a decade of full Republican control of Iowa state government.
Did Democrats take control of Congress in the 2026 midterms?
Yes. Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate, flipping six seats, and had flipped at least seven House seats with the House majority still too early to call, according to AP reporting.
What did President Trump say about the election results?
Trump told The New York Times he would accept the results and work with Democrats, while blaming Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's loss on Abbott becoming a “RINO.”