Photo: Office of Representative Hakeem Jeffries, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain). File photo, official portrait 2021.
Democrats will win control of the United States House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to projections from CNN and Decision Desk HQ, with Newsmax also projecting a Democratic majority. The result ends Republican control of the chamber and sets up divided government for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term.
Democrats needed only a handful of net gains to reach the 218 seats required for a majority, and projections put them past that mark on election night. Among the Democratic wins, Representative Jared Moskowitz held on in Florida's 25th Congressional District, defeating Republican Scott Singer in a seat Republicans had redrawn to favor their party, Newsmax reported. In western North Carolina, Democrat Jamie Ager captured the 11th Congressional District, flipping a Republican-held seat.
Jeffries in line to become speaker
The result positions House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to become speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. Jeffries, 56, coasted to re-election in his Brooklyn district, according to NBC News and Associated Press projections reported by USA TODAY. If elected speaker, he would become the first Black speaker in American history.
Jeffries has vowed that Congress will serve as a check on the Trump administration, while pursuing an agenda focused on affordability, reversing Medicaid cuts and ending the war in Iran, USA TODAY reported. House Democrats have promised to focus on driving down the cost of groceries, gas and housing, and on holding the administration to account.
Voters punished Trump over the cost of living
Exit polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media outlets, including major television networks and the Associated Press, showed an electorate in a sour mood, Reuters reported. Nearly 9 in 10 voters identified the cost of living as a crucial or major factor in their vote, and two-thirds blamed Trump for high prices. Three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country, and many said they feel worse off than when Trump entered the White House in 2025.
When Trump took office, he promised to fix high inflation fast. Instead, a majority of voters told exit pollsters that his policies — including the war with Iran and tariffs on foreign goods — had made their economic situation worse, Reuters reported.
What a Democratic House can — and cannot — do
A Democratic majority will be able to block the president's legislative agenda and to open investigations into his administration through House committees, with subpoena power and funding for investigative staff. But Democrats will quickly run into limits: the Senate filibuster and Trump's veto pen will make it hard to enact much new legislation, even if they also win the Senate.
Control of the Senate had not been projected when the House was called, Newsmax reported. Markets reacted to the shifting balance of power in early Asian trading on Wednesday, with technology shares falling and the dollar weakening sharply, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Projections, not final results
The House outcome rests on projections, not certified results. Votes are still being counted in some races, and final tallies will be certified by state election officials in the coming days and weeks. The new Congress is scheduled to convene in January, when the House will elect its next speaker.
Sources: CNN and Decision Desk HQ projections as reported by USA TODAY, November 3, 2026; Newsmax projection, November 3, 2026; Reuters midterm takeaways, November 4, 2026; The Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2026. Results are projections and remain subject to certification.