2018 United States elections
The 2018 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. These midterm elections occurred during Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump's term. Although the Republican Party increased its majority in the Senate, unified Republican control of Congress and the White House was brought to an end when the Democratic Party won control of the House of Representatives in what was widely characterized as a "blue wave" election.
| ← 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 → Midterm elections | |
| Election day | November 6 |
|---|---|
| Incumbent president | Donald Trump (Republican) |
| Next Congress | 116th |
| Senate elections | |
| Overall control | Republican hold |
| Seats contested | 35 of 100 seats (33 seats of Class I + 2 special elections) |
| Net seat change | Republican +2 |
| 2018 Senate results (Minnesota and Mississippi each held two Senate elections) Democratic hold Republican hold Democratic gain Republican gain Independent hold | |
| House elections | |
| Overall control | Democratic gain |
| Seats contested | All 435 voting seats +5 of 6 non-voting seats |
| Popular vote margin | Democratic +8.6% |
| Net seat change | Democratic +41 |
| 2018 House of Representatives results (territorial delegate races not shown) Democratic hold Republican hold Democratic gain Republican gain | |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Seats contested | 39 (36 states, three territories) |
| Net seat change | Democratic +7 |
| 2018 gubernatorial election results
Democratic hold Republican hold Democratic gain Republican gain | |
Democrats made a net gain of 41 seats in the United States House of Representatives, gaining a majority in the chamber and thereby ending the federal trifecta that the Republican Party had established in the 2016 elections. The Republican Party retained control of the United States Senate, making a net gain of two seats and defeating four Democratic incumbents in states that had voted for Trump in 2016. As a result of the 2018 elections, the 116th United States Congress became the first Congress since the 99th United States Congress (elected in 1984) in which the Democrats controlled the U.S. House of Representatives and the Republicans controlled the U.S. Senate. In state-level elections, Democrats picked up a net of seven governorships and several state legislative seats.
This was the first time since 1970 that one party gained Senate seats while losing House seats, which also occurred in 1914, 1962, and 2022. In the state elections, Democrats gained seven state governorships, control of approximately 350 state legislative seats, and control of six state legislative chambers.
The elections marked the highest voter turnout seen in midterm elections since 1914, at 49.4%. The elections saw several electoral firsts for women, racial minorities, and LGBT candidates, including the election of the first openly gay governor and the first openly bisexual U.S. senator. In various referendums, numerous states voted to expand Medicaid coverage, require voter identification, establish independent redistricting commissions, legalize marijuana, repeal felony disenfranchisement laws and enact other proposals. During the campaign, Democrats focused on health care, frequently attacking Republicans for supporting repeal of provisions of the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), including protections for individuals with preexisting conditions. They also focused on tying many Republican incumbents and candidates to President Trump. Republican messaging focused on immigration and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. There were allegations of attempted Russian interference in these elections as well as controversies regarding potential voter suppression.
Research has linked Republican losses in the elections to the party's unsuccessful and unpopular efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as well as the US-China trade war.