Democrats won both the House and the Senate in a midterm that flipped seats few expected, and their House leaders are promising subpoenas aimed at the Trump administration.
Story Snapshot
- Democrats passed the 218 seats needed to control the House and won at least 54 of the 100 Senate seats, according to reports.
- In Texas, Democrat James Talarico beat Republican Ken Paxton by more than 11 points, the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in 32 years.
- In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton beat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. A Democrat had not won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932.
- Democrats also flipped Senate seats in Iowa, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina, according to reports.
- Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, posted “Lawyer up.” after the House was called. He says officials, including Justice Department chief Todd Blanche, could face subpoenas on “day one.”
- Garcia’s office lists Trump family businesses, crypto deals, immigration enforcement and the Epstein files as targets. Subpoena power starts when the new Congress is seated in January.
- Trump points to his veto. Democrats would need two-thirds of both chambers to override it.
Democrats Win Both Chambers
Voters cast ballots on Tuesday, November 3, and races were called overnight into Wednesday, November 4. Democrats passed the 218 seats needed for a House majority and won at least 54 Senate seats, according to reports. Before the vote, voters had ranked economic issues as a top concern. It is the first time since Obama’s second term that a sitting president’s party controls neither chamber.
The biggest surprises came in states Trump won easily. In Texas, state Rep. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, whom Trump endorsed. Trump won Texas by 14 points in 2024. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton unseated Sen. Roger Marshall, also endorsed by Trump. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson beat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Several Senate races and many House seats were still being counted Wednesday morning.
How Trump And The White House Responded
Trump said, “My message is congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country,” according to reports. On Truth Social, he wrote, “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” according to reports. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said Democrats’ “only agenda is to continue their decade long witch hunt against President Trump.”
Garcia Vows Subpoenas On Day One
A subpoena is a legal order to hand over documents or to testify. Under Democratic control, House committee chairs will be able to issue them. Rep. Robert Garcia of California is expected to chair the House Oversight Committee, which investigates the federal government. After the House was called, he posted a two-word statement: “Lawyer up.”
Garcia has said he wants to subpoena Todd Blanche, who leads the Justice Department, over its handling of the files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and pages he says were withheld. No subpoena can be issued until the new Congress is sworn in on January 3.
Trump Businesses And Crypto Named As Targets
Garcia’s office lists corporate corruption, abuses at the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, and the Epstein files among its targets. Democrats are also focused on the Trump family’s crypto deals, meaning digital currency, including World Liberty Financial and a $500 million stake bought by an Emirati royal, according to reports. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, is also expected to lead investigations, which reports say may cover Trump’s pardons.
What The New Majority Can And Cannot Do
Before the vote, Trump said on a podcast, “I’ll veto everything.” After the results, he said, “I have the ultimate power — it’s called ‘veto,'” according to reports. Overriding a veto takes two-thirds of both chambers, so Democrats would need Republican votes. The Senate majority can also block Trump’s picks for judges and cabinet posts.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in line to become the first Black speaker of the House, says his first focus will be health care and lowering the price of groceries, gas and housing. The White House is expected to resist the investigations, possibly with executive privilege, a president’s claim to keep some records private. Officials could also fight subpoenas in court, which could delay them for months or years, according to reports.
Sources:
aljazeera.com, fortune.com, abcnews.com, cbsnews.com
