Democrats Score Major Senate Victories in Georgia, North Carolina and New Hampshire

Democrats scored several important victories in the 2026 midterm elections, including the reelection of Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia, a Senate seat pickup in North Carolina and the election of Chris Pappas in New Hampshire.

Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff, Roy Cooper and Chris Pappas scored major victories in Georgia, North Carolina and New Hampshire during the 2026 midterm elections. [Photo: Sen. Jon Ossoff Facebook]

In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Republican Rep. Mike Collins to secure another term. In North Carolina, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley to win the open Senate seat.

In New Hampshire, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas defeated former Republican Sen. John Sununu, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate, according to election projections reported .

The three victories were part of a broader Democratic surge that put the party in position to regain control of Congress.

Ossoff's victory preserved a Democratic-held seat, while Cooper's win flipped a Republican-held seat. Pappas succeeded retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

Before the elections, Republicans held 53 Senate seats, compared with 45 held by Democrats. Two independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, caucused with Democrats.

Democrats therefore needed a net gain of four seats to secure a Senate majority.

The House of Representatives also became a major battleground. Before the election, Republicans held 218 seats, while Democrats held 214, with two vacancies. Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to take control of the chamber.

Democrats also scored notable gubernatorial victories.

In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a U.S. state. In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly, becoming the state's first Black governor.

The results represented a major shift in the political landscape, with Democrats making gains in states that had been considered difficult territory for the party.

A senior Republican official had warned Politico that the evening could become “quite a brutal evening,” adding that once the political setbacks began, they could be difficult to stop.