Democrats Take Congress in a Crushing Midterm Defeat for Trump
Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections has transformed the political balance in Washington, with the party taking control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The scale of the result was especially striking in traditionally Republican territory: Democrats won Senate seats in Kansas for the first time since 1932, Texas since 1988 and South Carolina since 1998. The two chambers have changed hands together only three times since the second world war, in 1946, 1994 and 2006.
From January, Congress will be able to block legislation, investigate Donald Trump’s administration and obstruct judicial and senior government appointments. Democrats could even consider impeaching Trump for a third time. His ability to govern will be reduced, although the article notes that he has often acted unilaterally, particularly on tariffs and military strikes, rather than relying heavily on Congress. Foreign policy may therefore remain his preferred arena for pursuing a legacy.
The defeat also exposes weaknesses in Trump’s political strategy. He repeatedly urged voters to treat the election as a verdict on him, while his tariffs intensified pressure on prices and his campaign featured rambling speeches, Islamophobic outbursts and eccentric public appearances. Exit polls identified the cost of living and government corruption as voters’ leading concerns, while Trump’s visible self-enrichment alienated parts of his base.
The longer-term threat may be the succession struggle beginning ahead of 2028. As attention turns to figures including JD Vance and Marco Rubio, Trump’s dominance over the Republican party and the Maga movement could begin to erode. Congress may conclude that his political model belongs to the past, even as Trump remains capable of using executive power and the presidency’s foreign-policy reach.
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