Biggest Upsets of the 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections

America woke up to a wave of Democratic blue.

Democrats delivered a historic performance Tuesday, sweeping both chambers of Congress for the first time in two decades as a series of traditionally safe Republican seats fell across the country during the midterm elections.

In a powerful rejection of President Trump’s administration, Democrats captured a US Senate seat in Kansas for the first time in nearly a century. The victory was one of at least seven Senate pickups in what quickly became a nationwide blue surge.

Republicans also suffered defeats in deeply conservative Iowa, along with Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas.

Democrats’ takeover of the House is expected to make the final two years of Trump’s presidency considerably more difficult.

Here are some of the most dramatic upsets from Tuesday night:

Texas turns blue

Texas made history when James Talarico became the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the state since 1988. He defeated state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Paxton, 63, a prominent Trump ally, had knocked out 24-year incumbent John Cornyn in May’s Republican runoff. But his long record of scandals and controversy proved difficult to overcome with voters.

Even with substantial financial support — including nearly $200 million from billionaire Elon Musk — Paxton fell to Talarico by more than one million votes. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 11 p.m., with Talarico ahead 55.2% to 42.9%.

Abbott’s stunning defeat

One of the evening’s biggest surprises came in Texas, where Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in a stunning upset with potentially far-reaching consequences.

The sweeping Democratic victories have transformed Texas from a Republican stronghold into a potential battleground for the 2028 presidential election.

Ohio and Georgia also elected Democratic governors in major upsets. Amy Acton defeated former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio, while Keisha Lance Bottoms prevailed in Georgia.

Ramaswamy’s campaign suffered a serious setback after releasing a controversial advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother, who remained married to Acton’s alleged rapist after criminal charges were filed against him.

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Bottoms’ victory in Georgia makes her the first Black woman elected governor of a US state.

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Kansas in shock

In Kansas, megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton pulled off a historic victory, becoming the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the Sunflower State since 1932. He defeated Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.

Hamilton received 52.1% of the vote, compared with Marshall’s 45%, with 94% of ballots counted by 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Marshall, an obstetrician-gynecologist, faced intense criticism after reports that he had sued roughly 700 patients over unpaid medical bills. One case involved an eight-month pregnant woman who was arrested after missing a payment on a medical debt carrying an 18% interest rate.

A Senate seat stays out of the family

South Carolina Republican Darline Graham failed to hold the US Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham, losing to Democrat Annie Andrews in another history-making result.

Andrews became the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the Palmetto State since 1998. Gov. Henry McMaster had selected Graham, who was largely unknown to voters, to fill the vacancy after her brother died in July at age 71.

President Trump endorsed Graham and campaigned alongside her, but she still lost by nearly 100,000 votes. The Associated Press called the race for Andrews, who led 51.1% to 46.7%.

More coverage of the 2026 midterm elections:

Maine’s major upset

Democrat Troy Jackson defeated longtime Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Tuesday, ending the Republican incumbent’s nearly 30-year career in the Senate.

Jackson held 53.8% of the vote to Collins’ 46.1%, with 86% of ballots counted. His victory came despite finishing third in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Jackson was brought in at the last minute to replace original Democratic nominee Graham Platner, whose campaign unraveled amid a series of scandals involving alleged Nazi tattoos and accusations of sexual assault and infidelity. His defeat of Collins — the longest-serving female Republican senator in history — marked another major Democratic breakthrough.

El-Sayed makes history

Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed pulled off a remarkable victory over Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim senator in US history.

With 97% of the vote counted, El-Sayed led Rogers 52.5% to 45.5%, challenging the long-held assumption that a candidate from the far left could not win in a Midwestern swing state.

His campaign drew national attention after he ran on an ambitious platform that included universal Medicare for All, abolishing ICE and ending US military aid to Israel.