Democrats Win Both Chambers of Congress, and Musicians and Actors Respond Online

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, AP reported on 4 November 2026. The shift takes effect when the new Congress begins in January.

Midterms are elections held halfway through a president's term. Every seat in the House of Representatives is up, along with about a third of the Senate. Together the two chambers make up Congress, which writes the laws and approves the budget.

Before the vote, Republicans held a 53-47 majority in the Senate, according to Reuters. Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control. NBC News reported that the party flipped seven Senate seats. Billboard listed the flipped seats as being in Texas, Maine, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio and both Carolinas. In one closely watched race, Annie Andrews defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham, Reuters reported.

In the House, Democrats flipped more than 20 seats that Republicans had held, and Reuters projected that the party would win majority control there.

The result also drew a flood of posts from the entertainment world. Billboard reported that artists and actors shared their thoughts online, with some expressing outright joy at the outcome. Earlier in the campaign, Olivia Rodrigo and Bruce Springsteen had urged Americans to get out and vote.

Actor Henry Winkler replied "Dreams do come true" to a post by Joanne Carducci that asked how people were feeling as the results came in. Actor and singer Mandy Moore posted several updates on Instagram Stories as the count went on. She called Stacey Abrams "a hero" who "opened the door for tonight," and wrote "Texas, this keeps getting better and better…" as the Texas results came in.

For the music business, these posts are personal statements. They do not change contracts, chart positions or tour schedules. Still, they show how many people in the industry were following the count closely on the night, and how many chose to say so in public.