Politics News: 4 November 2026

President Trump, in his first public remarks since Republicans lost big in the midterms, showed off the White House ballroom construction on Wednesday. He signed the final beam with workers and other officials, watched it get lifted into place and touted the ballroom as magnificent, but did not mention the election results until taking questions.

Democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George was projected to win the race for mayor of Washington, leading the nation's capital through the end of President Trump's second term. Retiring Mayor Muriel Bowser has led the city for a decade, tangling with the Trump administration over crime and public safety.

President Trump said he has no plans to change his Cabinet after Democrats took control of the House and Senate. He made the remarks in a Fox News interview late Tuesday night, when asked whether the election results would prompt changes. The statement leaves his current Cabinet in place as Democrats gain power in Congress.

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan announced Wednesday he will run for House minority leader after Republicans suffered a major blow in the midterms. He is likely to face a contentious fight against current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise for the party's leadership in the next Congress.

Democrat Beau Bayh defeated Republican Max Engling in Indiana's secretary of state race, becoming the first Democrat to win statewide office in the Republican stronghold in more than a decade. The closely watched contest drew national attention as Democrats sought to break the GOP's grip.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on a staff call that he will not run for Republican minority leader in the next Congress. The announcement follows a bruising midterm defeat for Republicans and sets up a likely fight over the party's future.

Texans elected Democrat Nathan Johnson as state attorney general, the first Democrat in the office in decades. The Dallas state senator is poised to succeed outgoing Republican Ken Paxton, who had made the office a reliable conservative stronghold.

Vice President JD Vance said the ongoing Iran war was the reason Republicans lost the midterms, saying the president himself said so. He brushed aside other issues, including harsh immigration policies, and said many 2024 Trump voters voted for Democrats out of anger. President Trump called the explanation largely true because the war raised gasoline prices, while saying he would do it again.

Democrat Aaron Ford, the state's attorney general, is projected to defeat Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in Nevada's governor's race. Ford is set to become the state's first Black governor, with nearly 52 percent of the vote to Lombardo's 44 percent as 87 percent was tallied.

Nevada voters were projected to approve a ballot measure protecting abortion up to the point of viability, adding the protection to the state constitution. The measure allows the state to enact restrictions after viability, usually around the 24-week mark, except when necessary to protect life or health.

Nevada voters are projected to approve Question 7, a constitutional amendment requiring photo identification for in-person early or Election Day voting. The measure would add the ID requirement to the state constitution.

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. The 42-year-old physician, the son of Egyptian immigrants, is due to take office in January 2027 and represents the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. In his victory speech, he joked that Vice President Vance was constitutionally obligated to swear him in after months of attacks.

President Trump said the ongoing war with Iran and higher gasoline prices helped cause Republican midterm losses, while saying he would have done it again. In a Fox News interview, he argued voters supported his Iran actions but were unwilling to pay more for fuel in the short term. He also praised Democrats for fighting hard, while on Truth Social he blamed others for losses in key races.

Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas's Senate race, giving Democrats their first statewide victory in the state in more than 30 years. The 37-year-old former schoolteacher and Presbyterian seminarian said he defeated Goliaths, including the richest and most powerful men in the world. Katy Padilla Stout was projected to win the open 23rd Congressional District vacated by former Rep. Tony Gonzales.

Democrats won the House and Senate, taking full control of Congress for the first time since 2023. Survey data show Republicans lost support among all demographic groups compared with the 2022 midterms, including white men, white women and Latinos. Three-quarters of voters aged 18 to 24 voted Democrat, and 92 percent of Black women voted Democrat.

Democrat Troy Jackson is projected to defeat Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, flipping a Republican seat for the first time in almost 50 years and ending Collins's nearly 30-year tenure. Jackson, the former state Senate president who ran unsuccessfully for governor this cycle, was projected with 53 percent of the vote. The win is a crucial victory for Democrats in their push to retake the Senate majority.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats had won the Senate against all odds after a blue wave flipped at least six Republican seats. He said voters spoke clearly about their priorities and that it is up to Democrats to deliver. Schumer is poised to become Senate majority leader.

Democrats won control of the US Senate and House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterms, crossing the 51-seat and 218-seat majorities. The result gives the party power to block legislation, launch investigations and challenge appointments in the final two years of President Trump's term. Trump said he was willing to accept the results but threatened to veto Democratic bills.

North Carolina voters are projected to approve a constitutional amendment requiring photo ID for mail-in ballots. The Require Photo Identification Amendment would require all voters to present ID to cast a ballot, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Arkansas voters are projected to approve a constitutional amendment allowing only US citizens who meet certain criteria to vote in Arkansas elections. The yes option had about 69 percent of the vote as of 12:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Idaho Sen. Jim Risch was projected to win a fourth term, defeating Independent Todd Achilles to hold his seat. Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was first elected to the Senate in 2008 after serving as lieutenant governor and governor.

President Trump said the US will end nearly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, saying Israel is fine and can still buy US weapons. The aid comes from a 10-year security assistance accord that began in 2019 and was signed by Barack Obama before Trump took office in 2017. Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said the announcement shows Benjamin Netanyahu must be removed from office.

Virginia voters were projected to pass a reproductive freedom amendment that enshrines current protections, including abortion, in the state constitution. The measure also protects birth control, in-vitro fertilization, fertility care, pregnancy-related care and miscarriage care.

Virginia voters were projected to approve a measure repealing language from the state constitution that restricted marriage to a man and a woman. The amendment also prohibits the state from denying a marriage license to two adults because of their sex, gender or race.

Arizona voters are projected to reject a ballot measure that would have required only US citizens to register and vote in Arizona elections. The proposal would also have banned foreign nationals from contributing to elections. Decision Desk HQ called the race with 62 percent of votes counted.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar was projected to defeat state House Speaker Lisa Demuth in Minnesota's governor's race, becoming the first woman elected to lead the state. The four-term Democrat will succeed outgoing Gov. Tim Walz, who dropped his bid for a third term in January.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is projected to defeat Republican Michele Tafoya in the state's Senate race. The Democrat, who has served as lieutenant governor since 2019, will replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith.

Democrats won control of the US Senate in the November 3 midterms, according to an Associated Press call, giving them power to challenge President Trump's agenda for the rest of his term. The party gained seats in states where it had long struggled, aided by voter frustration over high prices. Trump acknowledged the Iran war and gasoline prices contributed to Republican losses and said he could cooperate on some issues while warning of vetoes.

Missouri voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have reinstated a near-total abortion ban two years after voters overturned one. The proposal also included a ban on transgender treatment for minors, which opponents called misleading. The result protects the state's abortion access.

Missouri voters were projected to reject Proposition A, a Republican-backed ballot measure that would have allowed lawmakers to pass a new set of congressional lines. The measure had gone through the courts before reaching the ballot, and its projected failure gave Democrats a major win.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is projected to defeat Republican Rep. John James in the state's governor's race. The Democrat was leading by 11 percentage points, 55 percent to 44 percent, with 31 percent of the vote reported.

Democrat Adam Hamilton, a pastor, was called the winner of the Kansas Senate race by the Associated Press, unseating incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. The victory flips a seat once expected to be safe for the GOP and makes Hamilton the first Democratic senator from Kansas in nearly a century. The win also all but ensures a Senate majority for his party.

Pediatrician Annie Andrews defeated GOP Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina's Senate race. Former Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore, who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is projected to win the traditionally red House district held by Rep. Nancy Mace.

Democrat Deb Haaland is projected to defeat Republican Gregg Hull in New Mexico's governor's race. The former Interior secretary under President Biden will become the first Native American woman to serve as governor of a US state.

Democrat Amy Acton was projected to win Ohio's governor's race, defeating Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, a candidate backed by President Donald Trump. Acton led by 4 percentage points with 76 percent of the vote reported, according to Decision Desk HQ. The race was marked in its final weeks by a Ramaswamy attack ad that drew national criticism, and Acton will become Ohio's first woman governor.

Former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree is projected to defeat Republican Bobby Charles in the state's governor's race. The Democrat will succeed term-limited Gov. Janet Mills and secure a third consecutive term for her party.

Democrat David Crowley was projected to defeat Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's governor's race, with 54 percent to 46 percent as 63 percent of the vote was reported. Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, will become Wisconsin's first Black governor after a campaign focused on lowering costs for working families and bringing more jobs to the state.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia's governor's race, becoming the first Black woman elected to the top office in any US state. The former Atlanta mayor defeated Rick Jackson, returning the office to Democrats after more than two decades of Republican control. The vote also produced firsts, including an openly gay senator and a Native American female governor.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said a possible formal apology for the transatlantic slave trade will not add to British taxpayer costs. The prime minister said the UK will not pay reparations but declined to say whether the approach could involve additional taxpayer money. Ministers are beginning a structured dialogue with affected countries, with an apology expected around a G20 summit in Manchester in November 2027.

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds was projected to defeat Democrat David Jolly in Florida's governor's race. Donalds, who has represented Florida's 19th Congressional District since 2021 and was backed early by President Trump, will succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis in January and become the state's first Black governor.

Republican Rep. Andy Barr was projected to win Kentucky's open US Senate seat, succeeding retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Barr defeated Democrat Charles Booker, a former Kentucky state representative, in a race deemed a safe win for the Republican.

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper won the state's open US Senate seat, according to an Associated Press race call, providing Democrats with a key Senate flip. The seat was being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Decision Desk HQ projected Cooper leading former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley by about 35 points.

Democrats said they will use their first 100 hours in the House to introduce bills removing tariffs, ending the Iran war and cutting health insurance costs. They face limits because most Senate bills need 60 votes and President Trump can veto legislation lacking two-thirds support. The House majority also gives Democrats subpoena power, and the party said it will probe Trump, his family business interests and agencies led by his allies.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa, an Austin state representative, is set to become Texas's first Democratic governor since 1995 and the state's first Latina governor. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro was projected to win a second term over state Treasurer Stacy Garrity in one of the country's biggest battleground states.

Five DSA candidates were elected to the House in what was described as a historic night for their movement. In Pennsylvania, Chris Rabb is projected to win the 3rd Congressional District and succeed Rep. Dwight Evans. The candidates tapped into voter frustration with the political status quo and will seek policy wins that push Democrats further left.

Democrat Jon Ossoff was projected to win reelection to the US Senate in Georgia, defeating Republican Mike Collins. The win held a Democratic seat in a state where the race had been considered a marquee Senate showdown a year earlier.