🇺🇸 United States Politics4 November 2026

Trump-backed candidates lose several Senate seats

By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Maverick

Republican candidates backed by Donald Trump lost several decisive Senate races in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas and Michigan. The defeats helped Democrats take control of the Senate and showed the limits of the US president’s electoral influence, according to the Daily Maverick.

Candidates backed by US President Donald Trump lost several decisive Senate races on 3 November, allowing Democrats to take control of the Senate, the Daily Maverick reports. Democrats Annie Andrews, Roy Cooper, James Talarico and Abdul El-Sayed respectively defeated Trump-backed Republican candidates in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas and Michigan.

Abdul El-Sayed’s defeat of Mike Rogers will make him the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate. In Texas, James Talarico won a seat that Democrats had not captured since 1988. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews flipped a state that had not elected a Democratic senator since 1998 and that Donald Trump had won by 18 points in 2024.

The results confirm the Democrats’ control of both chambers of Congress, announced on 4 November. They came after a campaign during which Republicans were considered at risk of losing both chambers.

Share this article

Democrats won control of both chambers of the US Congress in the 3 November 2026 midterm elections, according to L’essentiel, Bénin Web TV, Vanguard and Dakaractu. They won at least six Republican Senate seats, including in Texas and South Carolina, and secured a majority in the House, leaving Donald Trump facing an opposition capable of intensifying investigations into his administration. Dakaractu notably reports a projection of up to 55 Democratic Senate seats and details Elon Musk’s financial support for the defeated Republican candidate in Texas.

🇺🇸 United States · Source: L’essentiel · 4 Nov

US Republicans risk losing control of both chambers in midterms

The US midterm elections renew all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate. Donald Trump’s Republican Party risks losing its majority in both chambers of Congress, according to results tracked in real time by Le Monde.

🇺🇸 United States · Source: Le Monde · 3 Nov

Trump blames Iran war in part for Republican defeat

Donald Trump says the war in Iran contributed to the Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections, won by Democrats in both chambers of Congress. The president nevertheless downplays the impact of his policy and cites rising fuel prices among electoral factors, according to Expresso das Ilhas.

🇺🇸 United States · Source: Expresso das Ilhas · 4 Nov

Abdul El-Sayed to become first Muslim US senator

Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan and will become the first Muslim US senator in January 2027, according to Daily Maverick, La Nouvelle Tribune, Kassataya and Yabiladi. His victory came with Democrats regaining control of the Senate. Yabiladi also reports preliminary results giving Democrats 54 Senate seats and 228 House seats, as well as accusations of extremism against El-Sayed and his criticism of Israel.

🇺🇸 United States · Source: Daily Maverick · 4 Nov

🌍 Latest from World

Texas and Georgia governors-elect seek to slow data centre expansionDemocrats Gina Hinojosa in Texas and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia won the gubernatorial elections, according to projections reported by Bénin Web TV. Both have promised to slow or suspend data centre expansion, whose electricity and water needs are raising concerns; the Texas result still needs certification.

All World news →

Politics

Mohammed VI convenes officials on the post-MINURSO periodKing Mohammed VI chaired a meeting at the Royal Palace in Rabat on 4 November devoted to the situation in the Sahara after the end of MINURSO’s mandate. The working session follows the Security Council’s decision not to renew the mission’s mandate, Lebrief reports.

All Politics news →

The week in Africa

This week’s highlights

Democrats take both chambers of US Congress🇺🇸 United States
Five Ebola patients recover as 46 contacts leave quarantine in Kenya🇰🇪 Kenya
Russian strike kills 33 at Ukrainian aid centre🇺🇦 Ukraine
Washington removes South Africa from AGOA programme🇿🇦 South Africa
Ivorian film “Ebinto” draws 2,509 spectators at Paris’s Grand Rex🇨🇮 Ivory Coast

All of this week’s highlights →

Africa in your inbox

Be the first to get our letter in English: the essentials from every region of the continent, free.

← Back to the news