The outstanding races could determine how large the Democratic majorities will be when the new Congress takes office in January 2027.
Democrats have secured at least seven additional Senate seats and flipped more than two dozen Republican-held House districts. The results represent a major setback for Trump and congressional Republicans, who entered the election controlling both chambers.
More than 60 House races were still uncalled early Wednesday, according to The Washington Post. Although Democrats have crossed the 218-seat threshold needed for a House majority, outstanding contests could expand their advantage.
The political news that affects your wallet, your rights and your vote, broken down in plain language. Free in your inbox.
Several Republican incumbents are also facing unexpectedly competitive challenges, including races in Florida and Colorado.
One of the closely watched contests is Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert was trailing Democratic challenger Eileen Laubacher as votes continued to be counted.
In Florida, Republican Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Mario Diaz-Balart and María Elvira Salazar were among the incumbents facing competitive races. Their contests could add to the number of Democratic pickups if current voting trends hold.
Two Senate races remain unresolved
The Senate picture is also awaiting final results in Mississippi and Alaska.
In Mississippi, Democratic challenger Scott Colom and Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith were separated by just 43 votes in results reported early Wednesday. With approximately 95.6% of the expected vote counted, Colom had 462,821 votes to Hyde-Smith’s 462,778, according to WLOX.
The close contest is particularly notable because Trump carried Mississippi by more than 22 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Neither candidate had claimed victory, and additional ballots could change the outcome.
In Alaska, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan held a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. With approximately 72% of the vote reported, Sullivan had 48.5% compared with Peltola’s 47.7%, according to results reported by Fox News.
Alaska’s election system also includes ranked-choice voting, a process in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, additional rounds of counting redistribute votes from eliminated candidates until a winner is determined.
The outcome could take longer to finalize as election officials process remaining ballots and complete the state’s counting procedures.
What happens next
Even with Democrats projected to control both chambers, the outstanding races will help establish the exact balance of power in the next Congress.
The new Congress is scheduled to begin its term on January 3, 2027. Until then, the current Congress remains in control.
Election officials must continue processing outstanding ballots, addressing any eligible provisional ballots and completing the certification process required by their states.
For voters, the remaining contests are a reminder that election night results are not always final. A race being uncalled does not mean the candidates are tied, and a candidate leading in unofficial returns has not necessarily secured victory.
The final results will determine how many seats Democrats gain, which Republican incumbents lose their positions and how much political power the new Democratic majorities will have when the next Congress convenes.
