According to the first projections, the Democrats would have managed to wrest control of the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) from the Republican Party in the midterm elections held this Tuesday in the United States, thereby establishing the first effective counterweight to the power of the occupant of the White House, Donald Trump, since the start of his second term in 2025.
The shift in the majority in the House of Representatives, which will take effect on January 3, 2027, would limit the president’s ability to push through his legislative agenda by relying only on Republican votes. However, it is unlikely that Democratic dominance would translate into a large output of new laws, since Trump retains the Presidency and has reiterated his intention to use his power of veto.
This turnabout, in line with what most polls had anticipated, occurs on a day when the Democratic Party is reaping standout results not only in the 'midterms' to Congress, but also in other key races such as the Georgia gubernatorial elections, where its candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms would defeat the Republican Rick Jackson.
Keisha Lance Bottoms would thus become the first Black governor and woman in the United States and the first woman to lead Georgia, a victory that gives Trump’s opposition control of a strategic state whose last Democratic governor dates back to 1998.
The Democratic momentum in this election cycle stems from a deep wave of social discontent linked to the rising cost of living, exacerbated by the war in Iran launched by the Trump Administration and its direct impact on fuel prices.
In this context, approval ratings for the Republican magnate have fallen to record lows in recent weeks, while he has chosen to focus on the campaign, backing candidates from his party with a marked personalized tone.