On the night of Nov. 3, the results of the 2026 Midterm Elections began rolling in, bringing with it a wave of historic firsts.
In January, Democrats will control the House and Senate. Democrats hold 255 seats as of Nov. 11, having flipped 43 seats. Republicans hold 166 seats, having flipped two seats. With 35 seats up for election, Democrats have 54 seats in the Senate, flipping seven. Republicans have 44.
The Democratic majority will still have to contend with President Donald Trump, who has the power to reject legislation. However, there are committees in both the Senate and House with investigative powers. Congressman Robert Garcia of California is the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee and gave a speech on Nov. 3, where he stated he intended to investigate Trump’s family, “corporate corruption,” alleged abuses by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the handling of the Epstein files. The House also has the power to impeach a president.
The current House and Senate made a motion, led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, to force a vote on eight articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Massie is accusing Hegseth of violating federal law and the Constitution. Three of the eight articles focus on Hegseth’s conduct of the war with Iran. The current House blocked the bid; however, impeachment resolutions do not die at the end of a Congress, so the Democratic majority moving in on Jan. 3 could continue the matter.
In Nebraska, incumbents Pete Ricketts and Jim Pillen won reelection to the Senate and governorship, respectively. Districts 1 and 3 reelected incumbents Mike Flood and Adrian Smith. District 2 flipped, electing Democrat Denise Powell, s the first Latina elected to Congress from Nebraska and the first Democratic woman elected to the House from Nebraska.
Scott Peterson won Secretary of State, and incumbent Mike Hilgers won Attorney General.
On the ballot, Nebraska also voted in strong opposition to Amendment 1, which would have increased the limit for Nebraska state senators from two consecutive four-year terms (8 years) to three (12 years).
By a slim margin, Initiative 440 and 441, which would have legalized and taxed online sports betting, were voted against. A 67.8% majority voted for Initiative 442, which opposes transgender youths participating in sports and requires K-12 schools and colleges to establish athletic teams and sports as one of the following based on biological sex: males, females, or coed. The initiative will apply to all school-sponsored teams, including intramural and club teams.
