House control and the speakership
CNN issued its projection at 10:11 p.m. ET on November 3, 2026. A Democratic majority would end Republican control of the chamber and, in CNN's assessment, set up two years of confrontation with President Donald Trump.
Republicans entered the election holding 218 of the House's 435 seats, a narrow majority. Pre-election polls had suggested Democrats had a strong chance of taking control. All 435 seats were on the ballot, though the contest for the majority centered on competitive districts rather than those considered safe for either party.
The projected shift puts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in line to become the first Black speaker. His election to that office is not automatic: He would still need to win a House floor vote when the new Congress convenes on January 3, and could not formally assume the role before then.
Democrats gain in North Carolina and hold redistricting targets
In North Carolina, Democrat Jamie Ager was projected to win a seat previously held by a Republican, according to the Associated Press.
AP also reported victories for Florida Democratic incumbents Kathy Castor and Jared Moskowitz. Democrat Pia Dandiya won another Democratic-held district in South Florida. Republicans had redrawn all three districts this year to favor their party, hoping gains there would offset anticipated losses elsewhere in the country.
Those districts were among four Democratic-held Florida seats Republicans targeted through mid-decade redistricting. CNN identified the targets as the 9th, 14th, 22nd and 25th districts.
Expectations for the Republican map had already narrowed before Election Day. An October 30, 2026, report by USA TODAY Network-Florida said it was expected to produce a one-seat Republican gain rather than the four the party had sought. The report also noted that the Cook Political Report classified three Florida races as toss-ups.
Republicans also fell short in one of their Texas redistricting targets. CNN projected that Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez would retain the 34th Congressional District, one of five Democratic-held districts the party had targeted when it redrew the state's map.
Democratic wins in Georgia and South Carolina
Georgia voters reelected Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. CNN said he was the first Democrat elected to a second full Senate term in the state since 1990.
In neighboring South Carolina, CNN projected a Senate victory for Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, over Republican Sen. Darline Graham. The result would move a seat held by Republicans for nearly three decades into Democratic hands. Fritz Hollings, in 1998, was the last Democrat to win a South Carolina Senate race.
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Georgia governor's race, according to CNN's Decision Desk and the Associated Press, becoming the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.
