South Carolina To Texas: The 5 Unexpected Republican Losses In US Midterms

The Republicans have suffered big, unexpected losses - especially in Texas, where Democrats broke a 32-year-old streak of Republican dominance.

04 Nov 2026, 06:17 · NDTV

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US Democrats gained control of the Senate and House, marking a blow to Trump
Democrat James Talarico won Texas Senate seat, ending 32 years of GOP dominance
Annie Andrews flipped South Carolina Senate seat, first Democrat win since 1998

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New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump's political strength is hitting a new low roughly two years before his final term ends, with the Democrats turning the US Senate and House blue. The Republicans have suffered big, unexpected losses - especially in Texas, where Democrats broke a 32-year-old streak of Republican dominance. LIVE UPDATES

The election has been regarded as a nationwide verdict on Trump's second term, with discontent over living costs, tariffs, and the US war against Iran.

While campaigning, Trump repeatedly encouraged voters to pretend he was on the midterm ballot. But it backfired. The Republican President, however, had said he would use his "veto power" to block bills passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress. After the defeat, he posted a picture of his trademark red MAGA baseball hat with the single word "VETO".

A look at the five big unexpected Republican losses:

Texas

Democrat James Talarico, a former schoolteacher and Presbyterian seminarian who campaigned on a "politics of love", won the US Senate race in Texas, flipping a seat for his party in a huge blow to Republicans.

Also Read: Vivek Ramaswamy, Indian-Origin Republican, Loses Ohio Governor's Race, Democrat Amy Acton Wins

Talarico defeated the state's attorney general Ken Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump who survived impeachment and years of scandal, and became the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994.

The result was a major setback for Trump, who threw his weight behind Paxton and made the state a campaign priority.

South Carolina

The Democrats won a US Senate seat in South Carolina that the Republicans held for over 28 years.

Democrat Annie Andrews, a paediatrician, defeated Republican Darline Graham, who was trying to fill the shoes of her late brother, Lindsey Graham.

Democrats had not won a Senate election in the deeply conservative southern state since 1998. Before Andrews, Fritz Hollings was the last Democrat elected to a Senate seat in South Carolina.

North Carolina

Trump's hand-picked nominee Michael Whatley lost the North Carolina seat to Democrat Roy Cooper, flipping a key seat in the national battle for Senate control.

Cooper is North Carolina's first Democratic senator-elect since 2008 and just the fourth in the last 50 years.

Also Read: Democrats Take Control Of US Congress. What It Means For India

Kansas

Adam Hamilton, a Democrat and Methodist megachurch pastor, won the Kansas Senate seat over Republican Senator Roger Marshall, flipping a seat once believed to be safely red in another example of how far unhappiness with Trump has spread throughout the nation.

Hamilton's victory snapped a 94-year losing streak in Senate races for Democrats in Kansas.

Ohio

Former Senator Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Senator Jon Husted in Ohio, yet another key Senate seat.

(With inputs from agencies)

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