Democrats have gained control of more state legislatures than Republicans for the first time in more than a decade, adding to their victories in the House, Senate and governor’s races.
Before the election, Republicans controlled 28 of the 49 state legislatures with two chambers. Democrats held 18, and three states had divided control. Democrats now control both chambers in 24 states, compared with 22 for Republicans. North Carolina and Texas have split legislatures, while results in Alaska and Georgia are still pending. Even if Republicans win both outstanding contests, Democrats will remain ahead.
Nebraska is counted among the Republican-controlled legislatures because, although its single chamber is officially nonpartisan, Republicans hold the majority.
Democrats made notable gains in several battleground states, flipping legislative chambers and taking full control of state governments in places that will have a hand in shaping election rules and future political maps. In Wisconsin, the party won both the Assembly and Senate, giving Democrats full control of state government alongside the governorship.
In Michigan, Democrats flipped the House and widened their Senate majority while retaining the governor’s office. They also reclaimed the Minnesota House, held the Senate and won the governorship. Pennsylvania Democrats picked up the Senate while keeping control of the House, and Arizona voters gave the party majorities in both chambers. Democrats also flipped both legislative chambers in New Hampshire, and gained House seats in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
The shift gives Democrats more influence over state policy. Legislatures set election rules, draw congressional districts, approve budgets and consider laws on issues including abortion, guns, education and labor.
The new balance of power could matter in the next round of redistricting. After the 2030 census, states will redraw congressional and legislative boundaries, and the party in control of state government will have greater say over how those maps are drawn. Democratic gains could also bring challenges to existing maps and changes to election administration before future presidential contests.
In some states, lawmakers may pursue stricter gun laws, more education funding or expanded labor protections. They could also revisit voting restrictions, broaden access to early and mail-in voting, or change how elections are run.
The state legislative results came days after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress and a majority of governorships. Axios reported that 75% of Americans now live in a state with a Democratic governor, while 53% live in a state where Democrats control both the legislature and the governor’s office.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams said the party now holds more than half of state legislative seats nationwide. She said the results reflected the committee’s effort to build Democratic power across the country, adding that well-supported campaigns can win in red, blue and swing states.
Democrats may also have enough votes to advance the National Popular Vote plan, which would sidestep the Electoral College.
Voter polling pointed to the economy, government corruption, the war in Iran and worsening opinions of President Donald Trump’s performance as factors that helped create favorable conditions for Democrats.
Many voters said they were unhappy with the direction of the country: three-quarters described themselves as dissatisfied or angry, while one-quarter said they felt satisfied or enthusiastic.
Views of the economy were also largely negative. Three-quarters of voters rated it poorly, a sharp change from the same point in Trump’s first term, when positive assessments outnumbered negative ones by two to one. In the 2018 Fox News Voter Analysis survey, 66% viewed the economy positively and 34% negatively.
