Texas, Kansas, South Carolina: the biggest Democratic upsets of the US midterms
PauseandPonderTV · Thu, 5 Nov 2026Democrats look set for more than 230 House seats, one of their largest majorities in nearly 20 years.
Democrats won US Senate races this week in states that Republicans have held for decades, as the party took control of both chambers of Congress.
In Texas, James Talarico beat Republican Ken Paxton in one of the most expensive and closely followed races in the country, giving Democrats their first Senate win in the state in about 40 years.
In Kansas, Methodist minister Adam Hamilton defeated sitting Republican Senator Roger Marshall, the first time Kansas has elected a Democratic senator since 1932. In South Carolina, paediatrician Annie Andrews beat Republican Senator Darline Graham, becoming the state's first Democratic senator in almost 30 years.
Democrats also gained seats in North Carolina, where former governor Roy Cooper won, and Iowa, where Josh Turek beat Ashley Hinson. In Maine, Troy Jackson ended Republican Susan Collins' three decades in the Senate.
Counting is continuing in some House races, but Democrats were on course for more than 230 seats. Incoming House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the results showed America was alive and well.
Source: this report is based on reporting by Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera (Maine).
Join the conversation
Comments appear live. Please be respectful – abusive or false claims about people will be removed.