US midterms live: Vance blames Republican losses on Iran war - Nikkei Asia

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK -- The opposition Democratic Party has won control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, according to media projections, capitalizing on widespread voter discontent over Republican President Donald Trump's policies on inflation, tariffs, AI data centers and the Iran war.

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 midterm elections, forecasters overwhelmingly favored the Democrats to retake the House, while the battle to regain control of the Senate was expected to be much closer.

However, only hours after polls closed, Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas and Iowa, according to The Associated Press, clearing the key 51-seat threshold in the 100-seat chamber. The AP called the House for the Democrats later in the night, after the party surpassed 218 seats. In 2024 and 2022, the AP did not call control of the House until eight days after Election Day.