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Democrats Flip 549 State Legislative Seats, Take Control of 12 Chambers
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Democrats now control at least 12 state legislative chambers nationwide. Democrats flipped 540-plus state legislative seats and gained six new trifectas.
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State power reshapes politics
Democrats’ midterm gains extended beyond Congress, with the HuffPost reporting that Democrats flipped 549 state legislative seats from Republican to Democrat, flipped control of 12 chambers, and broke up 13 Republican supermajorities. US voters elected members of Congress, as well as 36 of the 50 governors and representatives in 88 of the 99 state chambers on 3 November, with Democrats flipping several governorships and state legislatures. Democrats took control of the Georgia state House after also gaining the governor’s office, giving Democrats control of each for the first time in more than 20 years.
Democrats would have trifectas in at least six states after officials are sworn in later this year and in early 2027, and the party running a state government can have a major impact on issues including tax bills, how data center development goes and who qualifies for Medicaid health insurance. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called the results “the biggest election cycle for Democrats in the history of our party,” and he said the victories were tied to issues like affordability and ending the war in Iran.
Electoral College compact debate
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact would require participating states and their electors to comply, and the NPVIC would not abolish the Electoral College but would fundamentally change how electors award their votes.
Democrats who now control the Wisconsin state Legislature plan to pursue a measure that would join Wisconsin to the compact, and the agreement could change how presidential contests are decided if a handful of additional states join.
Republicans and conservatives called the plan unconstitutional and argued it would not survive litigation and would disenfranchise Wisconsin voters.
The NPVIC takes effect only after states representing at least 270 of the 538 Electoral College votes adopt it, and 48 votes are still needed.
Sen. Kelda Roys said, "Making sure that the person who gets the most votes in all 50 states is the person who becomes president is one small piece of renewing our democracy."
Next fights, next sessions
Democrats flipped the Arizona Legislature after Democrats’ 2026 election wins, and Democrats have control of at least 37 of 60 seats in the House of Representatives and 20 of 30 seats in the Senate.
The next legislative session starts on Jan. 11, and Democrats and liberal groups have pitched election policy packages that had gone largely untouched.
Democratic Sen. Lauren Kuby called it “a backlog of voter-friendly legislation,” and Democratic Rep. Brian Garcia said lawmakers’ focus would be on “a backlog of voter-friendly legislation.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said the compact effort in Wisconsin faces a promised legal fight, and it quoted Dan Lennington saying the compact "won't survive litigation."
Raphael Warnock called the midterms a “proof of concept” that the South is central to the future of American politics, and he said, "You saw a multiracial coalition of voters stand up on Tuesday night beyond anything I had even hoped for."