WHAT HAPPENED: Democrats definitively gained control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections on Tuesday, with the Associated Press reporting that Democrats have won 252 House seats to 155 Republican seats, a gain of 39 seats, with 29 seats outstanding. In the Senate, Democrats flipped seven seats, bringing the total to 54 to Republicans’ 44. Two seats, Mississippi and Alaska, remain outstanding.
In the Senate, Democrats flipped seats in South Carolina (Annie Andrews), Texas (James Talarico), Kansas (Adam Hamilton), Iowa (Josh Turek), Ohio (Sherrod Brown), North Carolina (Roy Cooper), and Maine (Troy Jackson). Democrats also won seats in Michigan (Abdul el-Sayed), Georgia (Jon Ossoff), Minnesota (Peggy Flanagan), and New Hampshire (Chris Pappas).
Two seats are outstanding: Mississippi and Alaska. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) trails Democrat Scott Colom (D-MS) by less than 2,000 votes, with over 96% of votes counted. In Alaska, incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) trails Democrat Mary Peltola (D-AK) by just a few hundred votes, with 74% of the votes counted.
WHY IT MATTERS: If projected results hold, Democrats will gain 56 seats in the Senate and over 260 seats in the House. So far, Democrats have gained 54 Senate seats and 251 House seats, according to AP. To pass legislation in the Senate, 60 votes are still needed, and 218 are needed in the House.
Tuesday’s results also have implications for key committee leadership. The House Agriculture Committee will feature a race between Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) and Jim Costa (D-CA) for chairmanship, while Rep. GT Thompson will face Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) for ranking member. The Senate Agriculture Committee will likely be led by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), with Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) as ranking member.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is positioned to become Speaker of the House, while Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is set to regain his role as Senate Majority Leader.
WHAT NCC IS SAYING: “NCC has always worked with leaders on both sides of the aisle and we stand ready to work with and educate new Members in the 120th Congress,” said NCC President Harrison Kircher. “We congratulate all of this year’s winners and look forward to welcoming new members to Washington and showing them how America’s chicken farmers and processors put an affordable, nutritious protein on families’ tables every day. Before we look to 2027, we are eager to work with Chairmen Boozman and GT Thompson, and ranking members Klobuchar and Craig to pass an important Farm Bill in the lame duck.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Multiple states are still counting votes, including Alaska, North Carolina, Mississippi, and California. Mississippi is likely to conduct a recount in its Senate race, as well as North Carolina in multiple House districts, many of which remain undecided. House Republicans plan to hold leadership elections next Tuesday, November 10. Senate Republicans plan to vote on the same day. House Democrats follow on the week of November 18 following new member orientation, while Senate Democrats have not yet set a date for leadership elections.
