DALLAS — Texas led the way in a Republican bloodbath on Tuesday that ended GOP control of the Senate.
Republicans feared a rout, and they got it in the Senate battleground races, losing their majority to Democrats who as of late Tuesday had flipped at least six GOP seats, among them Texas, where James Talarico became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in nearly four decades, defeating Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Democrats secured stunning wins in the Senate races in South Carolina and Kansas — both once-reliably Republican states. The GOP also shockingly lost Iowa, where the race was called late Tuesday for Democrat Josh Turek, who was leading Republican Ashley Hinson by 5 points in what many thought would be a much closer race.
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The party also flipped the Senate seats held by Republicans in North Carolina and Ohio. Toss-up Senate races in Michigan and Maine were too close to call.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, credited his party for focusing on the “high costs” of groceries, gas, housing and health insurance.
“We also focused on the corruption of the Trump administration,” Mr. Schumer said.
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Democrats were also on a glide path to win back control of the House from the GOP, setting up a difficult final two years for President Trump.
Without Republicans in control, the president’s agenda will be dead on arrival in Congress and he’ll be facing investigations that will tie up his administration. In the Senate, Mr. Trump’s conservative judicial nominations will face rejection and delay.
“I think Schumer and the Democrats will just halt all judges, which means if we have a Supreme Court vacancy, I think they’ll keep the vacancy open for two years,” Sen.Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, said on the “All-In” podcast.
Some are predicting Democrats will launch a third impeachment of Mr. Trump, but top leaders have dodged committing to trying to oust the president.
Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said they plan instead to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
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