Texas’s Gina Hinojosa and Kansas’s Adam Hamilton made history as democrats seize full control of congress: which candidates won last night
Democrats win key races
Democrats flipped both chambers of Congress, winning Senate races in Michigan and Maine. Abdul El-Sayed defeated Mike Rogers in Michigan, while Troy Jackson beat Susan Collins in Maine.
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, ending more than 30 years of Republican control. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico also won the state’s U.S. Senate race. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton became the first Democratic senator elected there in nearly a century.
Voters shift toward Democrats
The election produced a stronger Democratic result than signs had suggested, according to NPR senior political correspondent Domenico Montanaro. President Trump made himself central to the campaign, and his unpopularity, concerns about the economy and the war weighed on Republicans.
Latino voters backed Democrats by 27 points, compared with Trump losing the group by 5 points in 2024. The economy and deportation tactics were major factors, and a voter poll found that 59% of respondents disapproved of ICE.
Congress gains power to investigate
Democratic majorities in both chambers will limit the White House’s room to maneuver. NPR’s Barbara Sprunt said the Senate could create major obstacles for Trump’s future cabinet and judicial nominees, while the House can investigate and use subpoenas to compel testimony.
Jeffries plans to hold people involved in corruption accountable, but Democrats are cautious about pursuing a third impeachment of Trump. Montanaro said the party remains unpopular, and divisions within its coalition could become more visible during the 2028 presidential primaries.
Key points
- Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott, ending more than 30 years of Republican control in Texas.
- Adam Hamilton became Kansas’s first Democratic senator elected in nearly a century.
- A record number of Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidates won House seats.