Democrats projected to win US House majority in major setback for Trump

Citing CBS, the BBC reported that Democrats are projected to win at least 218 seats, while Republicans are expected to secure at least 160 seats.

Early trends suggest Democrats are leading in several Republican-held districts, threatening to weaken President Donald Trump's grip on Washington during the remaining years of his presidency.

In a major boost for Democrats, former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, former chair of the Republican National Committee, in the Senate race.

Cooper will become the first Democrat to represent North Carolina in the Senate in 10 years. He will succeed outgoing Republican Senator Thom Tillis. His victory marked the first Senate seat to flip from Republican to Democratic control in this year's midterm elections, The Guardian reported.

Following his victory, Cooper wrote on X: "I’ll give it my all, North Carolina. Thank you for trusting me to be your next Senator."

In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews won the Senate race, becoming the first Democrat to represent the state in the Senate in more than a quarter of a century.

Meanwhile, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms made history by becoming Georgia's first Black governor and the first woman to hold the office in the traditionally Republican stronghold. According to NBC News, she defeated Republican Rick Jackson.

The midterm results, as projected by US media outlets, indicate a significant Democratic victory in the House of Representatives, with voters delivering a major setback to Trump.

According to NBC News, Democrats are projected to win approximately 248 House seats, comfortably exceeding the 218 required for a majority. The estimate could still fluctuate by a few seats as further results come in.

The Democratic surge reflects voter dissatisfaction with Trump's policies, including his hardline immigration crackdown, the eight-month war with Iran and tariffs on US allies, which have contributed to rising prices of gasoline, groceries and other goods.

The projected Democratic gains would mark the first time during Trump's second term that Republicans lose their unified control of Congress, significantly limiting the president's ability to advance his legislative agenda.

Meanwhile, reacting to early trends, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP."