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By Hollie Silverman
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The 2026 midterm elections delivered a string of historic firsts across the country as Democrats swept into control of both chambers of Congress in what has been described as a “blue tsunami,” while victors broke racial, religious, gender and LGBTQ representation barriers.
Democrats wrested control of the House from Republicans as the GOP lost at least 25 key seats and a wave of Democratic victories also returned control of the Senate to the party.
Among the night's groundbreaking results was Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's election in Michigan, making him the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. Florida also made history with Republican Byron Donalds becoming the state's first Black governor.
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A number of other midterm contests included history-making results, as an election dominated by a backlash against Republicans reshaped Congress and state legislatures.
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Abdul El-Sayed Becomes First Muslim Senator
Michigan delivered one of the election's most significant firsts when El-Sayed defeated Republican former Representative Mike Rogers.
The victory made El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. The race had become particularly contentious in its closing stages, including after Democratic Representative Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the primary, endorsed Rogers.
Historic Night for Black Governors
The 2026 midterms also marked an extraordinary night for Black gubernatorial candidates, with victories around the country adding to the historically small group who have led states during the U.S.'s 250-year history.
Among the breakthroughs, Donalds became Florida’s first Black governor and the nation’s first elected Black Republican governor.
Florida's northern neighbor, Georgia, featured another historic first in its gubernatorial race, as Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman to become governor in U.S. history.
Wisconsin Democrat David Crowley became the first Black governor in the state’s history and Democrat Aaron Ford unseated Republican Joe Lombardo in Nevada, becoming the state’s first Black governor and the first Black person elected governor west of the Mississippi River.
Democrat Wes Moore also won reelection as governor of Maryland, defeating Republican Dan Cox in a rematch of their 2022 contest, in which he became Maryland’s first Black governor.
The four victories by Donalds, Bottoms, Crowley and Ford more than doubled the total number of Black governors from the three (including Moore) to have previously been elected in the nation's history.
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Texas and California Elect First Hispanic Governors
The midterms also produced major milestones for Hispanic representation in two of the nation’s largest states, with Democrats Gina Hinojosa in Texas and Xavier Becerra in California winning gubernatorial contests.
Hinojosa defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who was running for a fourth term, a result that ended a Republican gubernatorial winning streak stretching back to 1994 in the Lone Star State.
Becerra, a former California attorney general and U.S. health and human services secretary, easily defeated Republican Steve Hilton.
Deb Haaland Makes Native American History
New Mexico also delivered a historic milestone with Democrat Deb Haaland—the former U.S. Interior Secretary and House lawmaker—becoming the first Native American woman elected governor in any U.S. state.
Under President Joe Biden, Haaland had already become the first Native American in a U.S. Cabinet position.
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Chris Pappas Becomes First Openly Gay Male Senator
History was also made in New Hampshire, where Democrat Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate after a closely watched contest against former Republican Senator John E. Sununu.
Pappas previously represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House, making his victory another milestone for LGBTQ representation in Congress.
Amy Acton Becomes Ohio’s First Female Governor
Ohio voters elected Democrat Amy Acton to the governor's mansion, making her the first woman elected to lead the state following a bitter campaign against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.
Acton, a former Ohio health director, defeated Ramaswamy after a campaign that drew national attention, including controversy over a Republican ad featuring her estranged mother.
The race had also featured heavy national Republican involvement, with Trump endorsing Ramaswamy and Vice President JD Vance publicly defending him during the campaign.
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Could Hakeem Jeffries Make History Next?
The shift in House control could set up another historic first.
If House Democrats choose Hakeem Jeffries, who currently serves as minority leader, as Speaker, he would become the first Black speaker of the House.
What Happens Next
Democrats' victories have fundamentally changed the balance of power Trump will confront during the second half of his term.
Control of the House gives Democrats substantial authority over committees, oversight, subpoenas and legislation, while Senate control gives the party power over the chamber's agenda and confirmation process.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Geoffrey Rowland.
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