Democrats ride ‘blue tsunami’ to midterm victories as Trump faces backlash

Democrats secured majorities in both houses of Congress in Tuesday's midterms but passing laws could prove challenging because of US President Donald Trump.

It was a night of firsts. In the gubernatorial arena, Texas elected its first Latina and Florida its first black man, while Georgia elected the first black woman governor in US history. Michigan, meanwhile, is sending the country's first Muslim American, Abdul El-Sayed, to the Senate.

In a surprise twist, former safe Republican state Texas flipped blue, as Democrats Gina Hinojosa and James Talarico took the governorship and the open Senate seat, respectively. And in neighbouring conservative Kansas, a Democrat won a Senate seat for the first time in nearly a century.

Counting is still going on in some areas, with 68 seats still to be called in the House of Representatives, and Alaska and Mississippi under the microscope. But Democrats have secured a majority in the Senate and House of Representatives.

All told, the night was a major upset for Mr Trump and his party. Republican Darline Graham, sister of the late senator Lindsey Graham whom Mr Trump chose to serve out the remainder of his term, lost to Democrat Annie Andrews in South Carolina, a traditionally red state. Pro-Trump billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy also lost the race for governor of Ohio.

The election results came as a ringing indictment of Mr Trump's performance over the past two years. The cost of living in the US has surged since the start of the Iran war, with prices for petrol, food and other necessities remaining high.

Despite heavy losses Mr Trump said he was willing to work with the Democrats and would accept the midterm election results.

“I am absolutely willing to accept those results,” he told The New York Times. “We will work with the Democrats and we will, you know, look forward to working with them.”

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Five historic state wins for the Democrats

He later said the Democrats “fought hard” and “did a good job”.

Still, Mr Trump has indicated the relationship with the new Congress will not be easy.

The President is now a lame duck – a leader who is nearing the end of his time in office and cannot run for re-election, and who has lost control of Congress in the midterms, stymying any chance of advancing his agenda.

As results rolled in, Mr Trump posted a photo on Truth Social showing a red hat bearing the word “veto”.

In an interview with Fox News, he called the presidential veto one of the strongest powers available to the executive. “They'll send over things that are insane and I'll veto them,” he said.

A proposed item of legislation must be approved by both chambers of Congress before it is sent to be signed by President Trump, who has the power of veto.

Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers.