2026 U.S. Elections: Who Won Seats in Congress and Governorships for the First Time

The U.S. midterm congressional elections, held on November 3, 2026, were marked by several historic outcomes. 

Several politicians were elected to the nation’s highest offices for the first time.

 In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the election. She became the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state. Previously, she had served as mayor of Atlanta.

In New Mexico, Deb Holland—a representative of the Laguna Pueblo people—won the gubernatorial election. She became the first Native American woman elected to this office. Previously, Holland served as Secretary of the Interior in the Joe Biden administration.

Another historic result was recorded in Minnesota. State Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, a member of the Ojibwe Nation, won the Senate election. She became the first Native American woman elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

In New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas was elected to the Senate. He became the first openly gay man to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile, vote counting is still underway in Alaska. Democrat Mary Peltola is running for a Senate seat against incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. If she wins, she will become the first woman of Alaska Native descent elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

Thus, the 2026 midterm elections have been landmark for the representation of women, Indigenous peoples, and the LGBTQ+ community in American politics.

As a reminder, Yevgen Windman, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia’s 7th congressional district who is of Ukrainian descent, was re-elected to Congress. He secured a decisive victory over Republican candidate Doug A. Ollivant.

The Democrats won enough seats to gain control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections. Chinese social media users reacted to the results in different ways: some criticized the American political system, while others discussed how President Donald Trump’s continued political influence might affect Beijing’s interests.

In the U.S., according to a projection by Decision Desk HQ, Democrat Sam Forstag is winning the race for the U.S. House of Representatives in Montana’s 1st District. He is leading Republican candidate Aaron Flint in the race for the vacant seat.