Democrats secure Senate pickups and expand House majority, reshaping U.S. political map

This is shaping up to be a strong night for Democrats as vote counts progress across the eastern United States and polls close in critical Midwestern battleground states.

Two Senate contests that were once considered competitive have become clear victories for Democrats: Jon Ossoff’s re‑election in Georgia and the open Republican seat in North Carolina, where former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley.

The North Carolina win marks the first of the four Democratic gains needed to take control of the Senate. Attention now shifts to Republican‑held Senate seats in Texas, Kansas and Ohio, where counting is still underway.

In South Carolina, CBS News rates the Senate race as leaning toward a Democrat, a result that would constitute a major upset.

In the House, Democrats are also making notable strides. In Florida, Republicans had redrawn three Democratic districts to improve their chances, but the incumbents held on, while other Republican‑favored seats are proving competitive.

Democrats flipped an open seat in western North Carolina and are competitive in Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.

Across the eastern swing districts, strong Democratic turnout—especially among Black voters in the South and a resurgence among Hispanic voters in Florida—is positioning the party to reclaim a House majority for the first time since 2022.

In majority‑Black counties of South Carolina, Democratic Senate candidate Annie Andrews is outpacing former President Trump’s 2024 margins, and in Miami‑Dade County, which Trump carried in 2024, Democrats are regaining the lead.

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