Democrats secure projected Senate majority with two races unresolved

Decision Desk HQ’s tally gives the Democratic caucus 54 seats and Republicans 44. Alaska and Mississippi remain uncalled by the desk.

The U.S. Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. File photo. U.S. Senate Historical Office / Wikimedia Commons.

Results checked at 8:42 a.m. Eastern, November 4, 2026. News projections and declarations, not certified results.

Democrats are set to control the U.S. Senate in the next Congress, with the final size of their majority still unsettled after Tuesday’s midterm elections. The Associated Press has declared Democratic control, and Decision Desk HQ also projects a Democratic majority.

At 8:42 a.m. Eastern on November 4, DDHQ’s national tally showed 54 seats for the Democratic caucus and 44 for Republicans. Two races, Alaska and Mississippi, remained uncalled by that desk.

The Democratic caucus total includes 52 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them. It combines 20 Democratic wins in this year’s elections with 32 continuing Democratic senators and the two independents. Republicans had won 13 of this year’s contests, in addition to 31 seats not up for election.

DDHQ had called seven Republican-held seats for Democrats: North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Maine and the Ohio special election. The projected winners were Roy Cooper, Annie Andrews, James Talarico, Adam Hamilton, Josh Turek, Troy Jackson and Sherrod Brown, respectively.

Those calls put the Democratic caucus above the 51 seats needed for control. The outstanding races will determine whether its advantage grows further.

In all, 35 Senate seats were on the ballot, including special elections in Ohio and Florida. The other 65 were not being contested.

The numerical tally in this report follows DDHQ for consistency. News organizations can reach decisions at different times, and a reported vote lead is not treated as a win. These race calls are not certified results; election officials continue their counts and canvasses. Sources: Decision Desk HQ Senate results; AP national election report; AP Senate election guide.