Democrats appear set to control both the House and Senate after the 2026 midterms, but two Senate races and dozens of House seats still have no official winner days after polls closed.
Quick Take
- CBS News, ABC News and BBC all project Democrats will control the House and Senate.
- Democrats have secured at least 54 Senate seats, with Alaska and Mississippi still uncalled.
- CBS News estimates Democrats will hold between 251 and 268 House seats.
- Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats, including Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine.
Major Networks Call Democratic Control
CBS News reported between November 3 and 6 that Democrats would take control of the House and Senate. The network projected at least 54 Democratic Senate seats and 251 to 268 House seats. ABC News made a separate projection of Democratic control in both chambers, while BBC reported Democrats at 54 Senate seats and 253 House seats. Several major outlets reached the same conclusion using separate vote counts.
The agreement across CBS, ABC, BBC and the Associated Press gives the Democratic projection real weight. Still, networks make these calls before every vote is certified. A projection means a race is considered decided based on the trend in the count. It does not mean the result is final or legally certified by state officials.
Senate Flips Reshape the Map
CBS News reported Democrats flipped seven Senate seats previously held by Republicans. Those wins came in Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine. That string of flips pushed the Associated Press’s running Senate count to 54 Democratic seats, with two races still unresolved. The scale of the flip list suggests a broad geographic swing rather than a single regional trend.
Alaska’s Ranked-Choice System Slows the Count
Alaska’s Senate race has not been called because the state uses ranked-choice voting. CBS News reported that officials must continue tabulating ballots based on voters’ ranked preferences before a winner can be named. Voting experts note this method does not speed up results and can take extra time when races are close. Alaska also gives mailed ballots up to 15 days to arrive, further slowing the process.
Mississippi Ballots Still Being Counted
Mississippi’s Senate race also remains open. CBS News reported thousands of outstanding mail ballots and an unknown number of affidavit ballots still awaiting review. The New York Times put the figure at roughly 3,300 uncounted absentee ballots and nearly 7,000 processed affidavit ballots, with county certification deadlines set for November 13. Until those ballots are finished, the state’s results stay unofficial.
House Majority Size Still in Flux
The exact size of the Democratic House majority is not yet known. CBS News gave a range of 251 to 268 seats, a 17-seat spread tied to uncalled districts. BBC reported 408 of 435 House races had been counted, leaving 27 undecided. The Associated Press separately reported that only 74% of overall results had been tallied in its tracker. A final number will not be set until every district reports.
History Favored a Democratic Gain
A big midterm shift against the president’s party is not unusual. Since 1934, the party holding the White House has lost House seats in 87% of midterms and Senate seats in 65%, averaging a loss of 27 House seats and three Senate seats. Since 1946, the president’s party lost House seats in 18 of 20 midterms, averaging a 26-seat loss. The largest recent swings hit 64 House seats in 2010 and 41 in 2018.
Phredzan’s Morning Political Report 11-06-2026
* USA POLITICS
* Democratic perspective: Democrats flipped more than 40 House seats, tracking toward roughly 256–259 seats, and reached at least 54 Senate seats. Leaders emphasize affordability and oversight.
* DSA perspective:…
— Phredzan (@phredzan) November 6, 2026
Those past numbers show opposition-party gains are common, but they don’t predict the exact size of this year’s shift. The final Democratic margin in the House and Senate will depend on certified counts from Alaska, Mississippi and the remaining House districts. Until state election officials finish that work and issue formal certifications, the 2026 midterm results stand as strong projections, not final law.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, apnews.com, bbc.com, nytimes.com
