November 5, 2026 – Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, CBS News projects, as voters repudiated President Trump and GOP control. The new majorities take office next year. Republicans are already turning on one another over who is to blame.

The blame game

Many Republicans are pointing at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing privately that he played a chief role in persuading Trump to attack Iran with no exit strategy. Vice President JD Vance has blamed the war itself for the losses, writing that it is the reason Republicans lost.

Rep. Thomas Massie said he will propose a vote to impeach Hegseth next week. Trump is standing by his defense secretary. He said Wednesday that Hegseth would stay on, though he acknowledged the Iran war contributed to the losses. The White House has also criticized the prospect of Democratic investigations into the Pentagon.

Where the Senate stands

Democrats won at least 54 Senate seats, with the Alaska and Mississippi races still unresolved. Those contests will set the size of the majority, not who holds it. In the House, CBS projects Democrats will hold between 251 and 268 seats.

Markets

Dow futures rose after the Democratic victories.

Corporate news

CVS Health announced on November 4 that it intends to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies, one built around health benefits and pharmacy services and the other a retail pharmacy business.

Tech and data centers

Data centers were a live issue on the ballot. Voters were set to consider 34 data center-related measures in November, according to Ballotpedia, and candidates in both parties campaigned on the backlash.

Safety

Nine people died after a Learjet crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. The NTSB is investigating.

What’s next

With subpoena power coming in January, Democrats are expected to turn to oversight of the administration, including the Pentagon and the Iran war. Republicans, meanwhile, must decide how much of the blame lands on Hegseth and how much on the war.

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Sources: CBS News, CBS News, CNBC, CNN via Iran International, CNN via Yahoo, TRT World, ABC News, CVS 8-K, S&P Global, CNN via KION