Democrats retake the Senate with a sweeping victory in midterm elections, says Bloomberg

Democrats regained control of the United States Senate, according to a projection presented by Bloomberg Television on the night of the midterm elections. According to reporter Tyler Kendall, the party exceeded the 51-vote threshold by adding the two independent senators who usually vote with the Democratic group. The video's description states that the party won both Houses of Congress, and that the result amounts to a rejection of President Donald Trump, amid voter discontent with the economy and the war in Iran.

One of the biggest surprises came from South Carolina, where Republican Senator Lindsey Graham lost his seat to Democrat Annie Andrews. The transcript spells the parliamentarian's name as "Darlene Graham." The state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998. A pediatrician by training, Andrews focused the campaign on the cost of healthcare, an issue linked to the perception of high prices.

According to Kendall, the result was also seen as a defeat for the artificial intelligence industry, which injected US$4.1 million into advertising in favor of the Republican in a last-minute offensive. The reporter's assessment is that he was seen as more sympathetic to the expansion of data centers.

Agriculture and tariffs weigh on Kansas

In Kansas, Senator Roger Marshall lost to Adam Hamilton 51.3% to 45.7%. Kendall was in Johnson County, on the border with Missouri, and reported that farmers she heard were suffering from high fuel prices during the harvest. According to the reporter, the state's economy is very exposed to disruptions caused by tariffs.

Kendall also cited producers' dissatisfaction with Marshall's vote on country of origin labeling on beef. The issue is related to the Trump administration's initiative to reduce the price of meat and, in her opinion, may have contributed to the defeat.

Texas, Maine and Michigan

In Texas, James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton, President Trump's chosen candidate, in a state that the Republican had won by double digits in 2024. Kendall noted that many of the swing states on the night were seats that Republicans defended. The transcript mentions an early Republican swing in North Carolina.

In Maine, with 58% of the ballots counted, Senator Susan Collins, in office since 1996 and chairman of the Senate Appropriations committee, trailed Democrat Troy Jackson, by 51.8% to 48.1%. In Michigan, with around 29% polled, Abdul El-Sayed had 49.5% against 48.6% for Mike Rogers, in the seat of Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is retiring. According to Kendall, Democrats don't necessarily need this seat, and the result should take hours. Alaska was still awaiting investigation.

What changes for the market

The transcription does not bring a market reaction. For the investor, the central data is the prospect of a Congress divided between the White House and the opposition, which tends to broaden the debate on tariffs, spending and public accounts, and increase attention to the cost of living cited by voters. These are points to observe, without the material indicating effects on the stock market, interest rates or dollar.

Automatically translated from Portuguese.