Trump wins, GOP flips Senate, House a tossup
The Republican candidate flipped back the swing states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020


What happened
Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris yesterday to win a second term in office, flipping back most or all of the swing states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. Republicans also won control of the Senate, while Democrats were slight favorites to flip control of the House. If House Republicans keep their slim majority, the GOP will control the entire federal government for the first time since 2019.
Who said what
Trump declared victory early today, after the networks projected he would win Pennsylvania. "We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible," for "a political victory that our country is never seen before," he said. "Every citizen, I will fight for you."
Preliminary exit polls showed that "the mood of the country is pessimistic," with 43% of voters "dissatisfied" with the way America is headed and another 29% "angry," NBC News said. Trump benefitted from people being "fed up" with "the cost of everything going up and up," Reuters' James Oliphant said on X. "Was it all Biden-Harris' fault? Probably not," but "Trump was the middle-finger candidate in '16 and he became that again."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The "biggest" and "most obvious" conclusion from the election, The Associated Press said, is that America elected its "first president with a felony conviction." His "enduring political strength through chaos — much of it his own making — has carried few political costs so far," said The Washington Post. And once again the country declined to elect its first woman president.
According to exit polls, Harris lost ground with Latino, Black and younger voters. If liberals are "looking for a silver lining," this election was the "least racially polarized in a generation," Ben Smith said at Semafor, and maybe the upcoming "bidding war between the parties for Latino and Black votes" will put "pressure on Republicans not to do anything that could chase its new allies away."
What next?
Democrats need to flip four seats for control of the House, and "it's going to come down to the West Coast," Cook Political Report's Erin Covey said to The Wall Street Journal. As of this morning it's "still a jump ball."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Music Reviews: Mdou Moctar, Panda Bear, and Tate McRae
Feature “Tears of Injustice,” “Sinister Grift,” and “So Close to What”
By The Week US Published
-
What's at stake in the Mahmoud Khalil deportation fight?
Talking Points Vague accusations and First Amendment concerns
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Why is a new Air Force One taking so long to build?
The Explainer Trump may look for alternatives for his new plane
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Trump hawks Teslas, slashes more federal jobs
Speed Read The Education Department cut its workforce in half ahead of an expected Trump order to shutter the agency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine agrees to ceasefire, ending US aid freeze
Speed Read Kyiv made peace with the Trump administration by agreeing to an immediate ceasefire in its war against Russian invaders
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Greenland's surprising election result
The Explainer Unexpected success for Demokraatit after a campaign overshadowed by Trump's threats
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Budget: Will the GOP cut entitlements?
Feature Republicans are pushing for a budget to cut Medicaid
By The Week US Published
-
U.S. tariffs spark North American trade war
Feature Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China lead to market turmoil and growing inflation concerns
By The Week US Published
-
The fallout of Trump's halt on military aid for Ukraine
Feature European leaders push for a cease-fire to mend U.S.-Ukraine ties
By The Week US Published
-
Media: A collective surrender to Trump?
Feature The Washington Post’s staff are instructed to focus its opinion pages on promoting 'personal liberties' and 'free markets'
By The Week US Published
-
Trump and Putin: Not a hoax
Feature Trump is pulling the U.S. closer to Russia, undoing decades of diplomacy
By The Week US Published