Democrats are projected to regain control of the House of Representatives, marking a significant setback for President Trump and potentially signaling the end of the MAGA era. The midterm elections, effectively a nationwide referendum on Trump's presidency, saw Republicans suffer substantial losses, a result attributed in part to voter concerns over the cost of living.
CNN and CNBC projected a Democratic majority in the House, while the outcome for the Senate remained uncertain as results were tallied. The loss of the House will place Trump in a "lame duck" position for his final two years in office, potentially leading to increased oversight and investigations from the Democratic-led chamber.
Following the House projection, Trump posted on Truth Social, "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" Earlier, he had expressed frustration with early exit polls, calling them "BULLS***" on Truth Social. A Fox News poll indicated that 87 percent of voters were concerned about gas prices, with 62 percent blaming Trump.
Early election results delivered further blows to Trump's influence. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff defeated Trump's hand-picked challenger Mike Collins in Georgia. Additionally, Democrats secured Senate seats in North Carolina and South Carolina, with Annie Andrews narrowly defeating Darline Graham, a candidate personally chosen by Trump. While some Trump-backed candidates, such as Florida Senator Ashley Moody and Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, managed to hold on, the overall trend indicated a shift away from the president's allies.
Exit polls revealed a public mood for change, with 75 percent of voters feeling "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the nation's direction. Approximately 60 percent blamed high prices on Trump's policies, and 71 percent desired more checks and balances on the presidency. The economy was cited as the most important issue by about 40 percent of voters, followed by "democracy" at 30 percent.
On the eve of the election, Trump's approval rating stood at 32 percent, with 64 percent disapproving. The cost of living was a paramount concern for 78 percent of voters. A CNN exit poll found that 65 percent of respondents believed Trump had worsened economic conditions.
Hakeem Jeffries, the current Democratic leader in the House, is expected to become the next Speaker, succeeding Republican Mike Johnson. Jeffries, a former corporate lawyer, will be the first Black Speaker of the House and will be second in line to the presidency. His legislative agenda is expected to focus on reversing Medicaid cuts, restoring Obamacare subsidies, and lowering costs for essential goods and services.
Republicans entered the midterms with a slim majority of 218-214 in the House and a 53-47 majority in the Senate. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats were up for election, along with gubernatorial races in 36 states.
Over 100 million people are estimated to have cast ballots, with record spending of $12 billion on advertising. Midterm elections, held in the middle of a president's term, historically serve as a referendum on the incumbent administration, often resulting in setbacks for the president's party, as seen in 2006, 2010, and 2018.