Democrats win US Senate and House in setback for Trump

Democrats won the US Senate and House in Tuesday’s midterm vote, the Guardian and CBS News reported. The result dealt President Donald Trump and his Republican Party a major defeat.

The count was not yet complete. The Guardian said 68 House seats were still undecided, but a Democratic majority was already assured. Republicans had lost at least seven Senate seats to Democrats. More than two dozen House districts had also switched to the party.

CBS News put the possible final Democratic House total at 251 to 268 seats. That was a forecast, rather than a final tally.

Texas elected James Talarico to the Senate, its first Democratic winner there since 1988, the Guardian reported. Gina Hinojosa also beat Greg Abbott in the race for governor. She became the state’s first Democratic governor in 36 years.

In Kansas, Adam Hamilton won a Senate seat for Democrats, the Guardian said. It described him as the party’s first winner there in almost a century.

Vice-President JD Vance blamed the loss on the Iran war in a post on X. Trump said the war had pushed petrol prices up a little. He said he would take the same course again.

The Guardian linked the defeat to anger over the war and living costs. RTÉ found a different view among Republicans at a vote-night event in Washington. They blamed their party’s members of Congress rather than Trump.

Trump told the New York Times that he would accept the result and seek to work with Democrats.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not seek to lead House Republicans again when Democrats take over in January.

Democrats have pledged quick action on living costs from January, RTÉ reported. Their plans include restoring health insurance aid and Medicaid funds. They also want to end Trump’s tariffs and the Iran war. Those remain pledges.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the Democratic win on Wednesday. He said the global far right was coming apart. The Local Spain reported his remarks ahead of Spain’s snap election on 29 November.