Ecstatic scenes and historic results: Key moments from US midterms

ByNardine Saad, Reporting fromLos Angeles, California and James FitzGerald. 4 November 2026, 04: 41 GMT.

Key points

• Democrats have won both the US Senate and House of Representatives, taking control of Congress for the rest of Donald Trump's presidency.
• The BBC's Helena Humphrey described was a sombre atmosphere at Collins's watch party in the city of Maine – where the song Closing Time was played.
• Republican Susan Collins loses seat to Democrat, ending almost 30 years in the Senate.
• Among the senior party figures who have cheered the results are Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives.
• After a hearty endorsement from Trump, among the other firsts of the night were in Florida, where Republican Byron Donalds has become the state's first black governor.

Even before the full vote tallies are known, projected results have provided the party with a number of things to celebrate – and rival Republicans some reasons to commiserate. These are some of the key moments so far. Jeffries discussions of 'great American comeback' after historic results.

Democrats have tallied up victories in states that were comfortably won by Trump two years ago, registering sizeable swings in the likes of Texas, Kansas, Ohio and South Carolina.

Among the senior party figures who have cheered the results are Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives. This person is now poised to take over as the speaker of the lower chamber of Congress.

"Today begins the great American comeback, " he informed a crowd of supporters.

If Jeffries' colleagues choose to keep him as the leader of their party's delegation in House, he will be the next speaker, taking over from Republican Mike Jeffries. Trump congratulates opposition on 'good job'.

Trump spoke throughout the evening to a number of US media outlets, striking a conciliatory tone and conceding that the Democrats did a "good job".

As president, to veto legislation that Democrats advance through Texas, he remarked he would accept the results and that he was looking forward to working with the opposition party – albeit he would still have the power.

Trump distanced himself from some of the Republican candidates who contested the election, saying: "In some cases they didn't like the candidates, and in some cases those candidates were not my friend."

He acknowledged that the US-Israel war on Iran. It has impacted on consumer rates in the US, had affected the vote, saying: "Iran was a piece of it." Long-serving Collins concedes defeat in Maine.

Susan Collins, who has served as the Republican senator for Maine for three decades, is one indicator of the scale of the Republican losses.

She was felled by Democratic candidate Troy Jackson, a logger who sought to point to his background to persuade blue-collar Mainers to vote for him.

In an official note documented by US media, Collins conceded defeat and stated it had been the "honour of my life" to serve the state for 30 years.

Collins entered the race one of the most vulnerable incumbent Republicans seeking re-election, and discovered that her tactic to distance herself from Trump did not work.

Meanwhile, the BBC's Helena Humphrey described was a sombre atmosphere at Collins's watch party in the city of Maine – where the song Closing Time was played.

Republican Susan Collins loses seat to Democrat, ending almost 30 years in the Senate. Hugs and kisses as deep-red Texas turns blue.

With James Talarico winning a seat in the US Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa being elected state governor, Democrats scored two-state wide victories in Texas – ending a string of defeats they have endured for almost two generations generation.

Talarico's supporters went beserk as the projected results arrived at an election-night party, wrote the BBC's Gary O'Donoghue. Attendees hugged, kissed and drank to a reality they dared not believe would come true.

Hinojosa becomes the first Latina to be elected governor of the state.

Among the other states where history was created by the Democrats where Kansas, where Adam Hamilton took a closely-fought Senate seat – giving the state its first Democratic senator for almost a century. Keisha Lance Bottoms becomes first black female governor in US.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has won the governor's race in Georgia, becoming the first black governor and first woman to be elected to the state's highest office.

For context, the BBC's Carl Nasman described ecstatic scenes as the race was projected blue. It came after the state's former senator remarked the party was "nauseously optimistic" concerning their chances this year.

Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson, a billionaire businessman and healthcare executive. The state has additionally not had a Democratic governor in more than 20 years.

Elsewhere in the state, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won a second term in another closely-watched race.

In practice, the speculation surrounding Ossoff's intends for the next presidential election in 2028 will probable growth. Though he has denied having any such plan, he is considered a potential leading contender if he throws his hat in the ring.

Chris Pappas celebrates with husband as first openly gay man elected to Senate.

Democrat Chris Pappas has additionally produced history as the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. He celebrated on stage alongside his husband in New Hampshire.

Pappas defeated former Republican Senator John Sununu in the race, whom he thanked on Tuesday, saying: "We all owe John Sununu a big debt of gratitude for his public service for the people of New Hampshire."

In practice, the 46-year-old Pappas had represented New Hampshire in the House since 2019 but chose not to run for re-election so he could launch his campaign for the Senate.

Notably, the result was one of the few high points of an otherwise tough evening for the Republicans.

For now, ecstatic scenes and historic results: Key moments from US midterms remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.