US Democrats Retake Congress in Midterms

Democrats have won control of both chambers of the US Congress in the midterm elections, making gains in states like Kansas, Texas, and South Carolina. This legislative majority clashes with President Trump's administration, limiting substantial short-term changes.

The election night produced a map few expected. Democrats seized control of both chambers of the United States Congress in the midterm elections. The result shifts the balance of power in Washington and raises an uncomfortable question: how far can a legislative majority go when the White House remains in **Trump**'s hands?

## Kansas and Texas End Century-Long Republican Rule
In **Kansas**, Senate seats had been held by Republicans for nearly **100 years**. Democrats broke that streak. A similar event occurred in **Texas**, where Republican dominance in the Senate also dated back almost a century. These are not minor victories; they signal a shift in voting patterns in territories previously considered safe.

In **South Carolina**, the last time a Democrat won a Senate seat was in **1998**. That gap has now been closed. And in **Iowa**, Democrat **Josh Turek** won a seat his party had not held for nearly **20 years**.

## Michigan and Campaign Dynamics
In **Michigan**, Senate candidate **Abdul el Sayed** was accused by **Trump** of being "a Muslim, terrorist, and communist." Polls showed him leading his Republican opponent by **seven points**. The accusation does not appear to have hindered his campaign.

## What Can a Democratic Congress Do With Trump in the White House?
Given this landscape, substantial economic changes are unlikely. Foreign policy is similarly constrained: a majority of Democrats support **Israel**, **Zelensky**, and the war in Ukraine, as well as confrontation with **China**, **India**, and **Russia**.

One point matters significantly. With Democrats in charge, Congress can reaffirm the powers and obligations granted by the **Constitution**, which Republican lawmakers largely abandoned since Trump's second term began. The key question is whether Democrats can propose and pass laws even if Trump vetoes them. That is the issue defining the next two years.