Democrats Seize Congress as Historic Wins Land and Jeffries Eyes the Speaker's Gavel

Democrats have won the Senate and the House, grabbing control of Congress for the remainder of Donald Trump's time in the White House. The wins landed in states Trump carried comfortably just two years ago, with big swings showing up in Texas, Kansas, Ohio and South Carolina. Even with some results still being counted, the night already belonged to the blue team.

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrats' top figure in the House, is now in line to become speaker — if his colleagues keep him as their delegation leader, he takes the gavel from the Republican who held it. He told supporters that Tuesday marked the start of a great American comeback. Trump, meanwhile, spent the night talking to media outlets, accepting the outcome and saying he looked forward to working with the opposition party — though he keeps the veto pen for whatever Democrats push through Congress.

The first Senate flip of the night came in North Carolina, where former Democratic governor Roy Cooper beat Republican Michael Whatley. It's the party's first Senate win in the state since 2008, despite years of heavy spending there. Cooper told cheering supporters that when everyday people come together, they can make change.

Georgia delivered two of the night's biggest storylines. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor, is projected to win the governor's race, making her the state's first Black governor and the first woman elected to its top office. She beat Republican Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive endorsed by Trump and outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, with a race the BBC reported carried $200 million of the candidate's own money. Georgia hasn't had a Democratic governor in over 20 years. In the same state, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won a second term, comfortably ahead of Republican challenger Mike Collins — and his win will only fuel talk about a 2028 presidential run, given he's seen as a leading contender.