Democrats Win Key Southern Races in Midterms
Democrats captured statewide contests across several Southern states and took control of both the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Elections
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Democrats won statewide races in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, including James Talarico's Texas Senate victory over Ken Paxton. The party also won control of both the House and Senate.
Why it matters
Analyst Mike Sherman attributed the results to a rebuke of President Trump and his policies, including unpopular wars and affordability concerns. The outcome reshapes the balance of power in Congress and raises questions about Democrats' competitiveness heading into 2028.
Talarico's Texas Senate win ended nearly four decades without a Democratic Senate victory in the state. Whether this momentum carries into the 2028 presidential contest remains unclear.
The players
James Talarico
Talarico is a Democrat who defeated Ken Paxton in the Texas U.S. Senate race, giving Democrats their first Senate win in the state in nearly 40 years.
Ken Paxton
Paxton is a Texas Republican who lost the U.S. Senate race to James Talarico.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Bottoms is a Democrat who won Georgia's governor's race and became the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.
Mike Sherman
Sherman is an analyst who attributed the Democratic gains to a rebuke of President Trump and his policies.
The details
Julia Letlow narrowly defeated Democrat Jamie Davis in the Louisiana Senate race, while Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Georgia governor's race to become the first Black woman elected governor in the U.S. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews defeated Republican Sen. Darline Graham, and in Mississippi, Scott Colom turned his race against Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith into a nail-biter.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Midterm elections held, with Democrats winning Southern races and both chambers of Congress.
2028: Upcoming presidential election whose Democratic competitiveness is uncertain.
Season Trajectory
Talarico's Texas victory ends nearly four decades of Republican dominance in the state's Senate contests. It signals a possible shift in statewide competitiveness that will be tested in future national elections.
Democratic control of both chambers means the party will set the legislative agenda in the House and Senate for the coming session. Voters in the states that shifted will see new representation in statewide offices, including the Texas Senate seat and the Georgia governorship.
The takeaway
Statewide results in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina show that Southern races can produce competitive outcomes. Readers tracking the 2028 cycle should watch whether these gains hold in future contests.
What happens next
The 2028 presidential election will test whether Democrats can sustain competitiveness in the states where they won in 2026.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Elections for context on how these midterm results fit into the broader race for Congress and the White House.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fox8live.
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