Historic upsets and voter anger: Early takeaways from the US midterm elections

Americans went to the polls on Tuesday in midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

Here are some early takeaways from the elections.

An angry electorate

Trump asked voters to pretend he was on the ballot. They did, and Republicans paid the price on Tuesday.

Early results and exit polls showed an electorate in a sour mood, delivering a strong rebuke of Trump and his agenda as voters expressed deep unhappiness about high prices and the direction of the country.

Many said they feel worse off than two years ago and nearly 9 in 10 identified the cost of living as a crucial or major factor in their vote, according to exit polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media outlets that included major television networks and the Associated Press.

Trump was elected in 2024 on a promise to arrest high inflation, but his tariffs on foreign goods and war against Iran have only worsened the economic situation for many Americans. His response on the campaign trail was to tell Americans to absorb the higher costs even as his popularity sank to record lows.

Nearly two-thirds of voters in the exit polls blamed Trump for high prices, while three-quarters said they were either angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country. Voters also expressed widespread concern over government corruption.

Early Democratic victories on Tuesday suggested Trump's 19-state campaign blitz for Republican candidates in recent weeks has done little to improve his standing with voters.

Rejecting Trump's picks

It wasn't just a bad night for Republicans; it was a bad night for Trump's judgment. He suffered a series of personal defeats as several candidates he had elevated over the objections of local Republicans struggled in races the party had expected to win.

Trump's handpicked Senate candidates in South Carolina and North Carolina, Darline Graham and Michael Whatley, lost their races, while Ken Paxton in Texas was struggling against Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Trump's choices left Republicans fighting on the defensive in states where they had been favored to win.

The losses are likely to revive questions about Trump's political instincts, particularly his tendency to prioritize personal loyalty over candidates with broader electoral appeal.

The exit polls showed that the coalition of voters that powered his 2024 victory is badly fractured. Republicans recorded sharp declines in support among Black men, Latinos and young voters.

A blue wave

Opinion polls ahead of the midterms showed a significant chance of a strong Democratic night, with the party favored to reclaim the US House and compete for control of the Senate.

But the scale of the emerging Democratic gains suggested something larger: a potential blue wave that was extending well beyond the traditional battlegrounds.

In flipping the Senate seat in South Carolina, the party made history. Democrats have not won a US Senate race in South Carolina this century, and the win by Annie Andrews over Graham became one of the defining upsets of the night.

Democrats were also leading in Kansas, where they last won a Senate seat in 1932, during the Great Depression. In Texas, if Talarico triumphs over Paxton, he would be the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Texas in 38 years.

Democrats are projected by US media outlets to win back control of the US House, and are looking likely to achieve a big majority.

Winning back Congress could be a double-edged sword for Democrats, however.

Voters likely will look to Democrats to address their economic concerns and not just oppose Trump. But they will be limited in what legislation they can pass as the president retains veto power. Trump could also say Democrats are now, at the very least, equally culpable for the state of the economy.

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