Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed takes the stage to speak after winning his election during the Michigan Democratic Party Election Night Party held in The Department at Hudson’s in downtown Detroit on Nov. 4, 2026. Photo: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Democrats across the US scored a series of major victories in Tuesday’s midterm elections, taking control of the Senate and the House of Representatives while dominating the Republican Party in historic faction.

The election also offered a glimpse into the changing politics of Israel within the Democratic Party, potentially indicating a more hostile congressional shift against the Jewish state come January, when the party officially holds majorities in both legislative chambers.

In perhaps this election cycle’s most watched race, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed emerged victorious over Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate contest.

El-Sayed, a progressive who has advocated ending American taxpayer assistance to foreign militaries and characterized Israel’s war in Gaza as “genocide,” became a focal point of the national debate over the future of US-Israel relations. However, he was running significantly behind gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson.

El-Sayed’s victory carries symbolic weight, bringing the country’s first Muslim senator to Washington and elevating one of the most outspoken critics of Israel in American politics.

Other races showed similar success for far-left candidates.

In Maine, Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and criticized weapons transfers to Israel, defeated longtime incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has maintained a longstanding record of supporting the Jewish state. Jackson, who replaced disgraced former Democratic nominee Graham Platner in July after sexual misconduct allegations derailed his campaign, has accused Israel of “genocide” and criticized the Jewish community for disagreeing with that assessment.

In Texas, Democrat James Talarico emerged victorious in a seismic and historic Senate race. Talarico has supported defensive assistance for Israel while opposing offensive weapons transfers. Unlike his more progressive contemporaries, Talarico has not accused Israel of “genocide” but has issued intense criticism of the country’s conduct in Gaza and its government. His victory came as a shock to some observers given Texas’s status as a Republican stalwart state.

The Democrats flipped a Republican-held Senate seat in North Carolina and won key contests in Georgia and New Hampshire, representing a rebuke of US President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley, delivering Democrats their first Senate pickup of the evening. Democrats also held onto Georgia’s Senate seat through Sen. Jon Ossoff’s reelection and captured New Hampshire’s open Senate seat with Rep. Chris Pappas.

The victories were a dagger for Republicans, who entered Election Day with narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. Democrats needed four net Senate seats and three House seats to take control of the respective chambers, making a handful of remaining battlegrounds potentially decisive. Although Democrats were overwhelmingly expected to regain the House, control of Senate remained much less predictable prior to election night.

The results threaten to complicate Trump’s ability to advance his legislative priorities during the final two years of his term. They could also open the door to renewed Democratic pressure on US military assistance to Israel, arms sales to other Middle Eastern allies, and the administration’s policy toward the Middle East more broadly. Should Trump opt to resume major military operations against Iran, as he has threatened to do, Congress under Democratic control would be positioned to limit his ability to prosecute the war.

The results also underscore the political vulnerability of Trump’s presidency. Voters have been increasingly concerned about inflation, household costs, the Iran war, and the country’s general direction, according to polling.

Beyond the immediate battle for congressional control, the election could have significant consequences for Israel, whose relationship with Washington has become increasingly contentious in American politics.

The issue took on added significance Tuesday after Trump announced that the United States would end approximately $4 billion in annual military assistance to Israel, saying the country had become sufficiently prosperous to finance more of its own defense. Trump also acknowledged that the aid had become a political liability for Republicans, who increasingly face criticism from Democratic candidates over American support for Israel, the lone democracy in the Middle East and a critical strategic ally.

The announcement is particularly consequential given that the current US-Israel military assistance agreement provides $38 billion over 10 years and runs through 2028. Although Trump indicated that the two governments had discussed phasing out assistance, the precise mechanics and timing remain unclear, and Congress would have an important role in any changes.

A Democratic takeover of Congress does not automatically translate into an immediate rupture in the US-Israel relationship. From the White House, Trump retains control of American foreign policy, including diplomatic relations, military cooperation, and the administration’s approach to the Middle East.

Nevertheless, a Democratic majority could use its congressional authority to increase scrutiny of weapons transfers, challenge future military assistance packages, hold hearings, and advance legislation conditioning American support on particular Israeli government policies. Progressive critics of Israel, such as Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have called on Congress to advance legislation to completely eliminate all aid to Israel.

Initial results also indicate a significant shift among Jewish voters nationally. According to an NBC exit poll, 67 percent of Jews voted for Democrats and 33 percent voted for Republicans. This represents a 10-point decline for Democrats in the same poll conducted during the 2024 race.

The shift against Israel among Democrats is already visible. In July, 103 House Democrats supported an amendment to eliminate billions of dollars in assistance to Israel, although the measure ultimately failed. More recently, nearly the entire Senate Democratic caucus supported a resolution demanding greater accountability over the treatment of American citizens by Israeli settlers and security forces in the West Bank.

For Israel and its supporters in Washington, the longer-term concern may be the direction of the Democratic Party itself. A growing number of Democratic candidates have demonstrated that campaigning against Israel can be politically viable, particularly in primaries and increasingly competitive general elections.

Nonetheless, many Democratic lawmakers continue to support Israel’s security, including defensive military cooperation, and opposition to eliminating all assistance remains substantial. But the political consensus that once made American support for Israel relatively bipartisan is under increasing strain.

The implications extend beyond the remainder of Trump’s presidency. The incoming Congress will help determine the political environment in which both parties select their presidential candidates for 2028.