The 2026 midterm elections delivered a sweeping defeat to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, handing Democrats control of both chambers of Congress and several governorships previously held by Republicans. However, the results also exposed a troubling political divide for transgender Americans: voters who rejected Republican candidates were sometimes willing to support restrictions targeting transgender students.
With additional races called Wednesday, Democrats have secured at least seven Republican-held U.S. Senate seats, flipped more than two dozen House districts, and won major gubernatorial contests in Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Georgia, and Nevada. The victories represent one of the most significant midterm setbacks for a sitting president in recent American politics.
Yet ballot initiatives restricting transgender participation in school athletics succeeded in Arizona and Nebraska, while similar proposals in Colorado and Washington continued showing majority support in the latest verified returns.
For transgender Americans, the election creates an unusual political landscape heading into the final two years of Trump’s presidency: a Democratic Congress capable of challenging federal restrictions, alongside state electorates that remain divided over transgender rights.
Democrats Secure Both Chambers of Congress
The biggest development is the Democratic takeover of the U.S. House and Senate, ending Republican control of Congress.
Senate Democrats captured Republican-held seats in Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina, and South Carolina while defending competitive seats in Georgia and Michigan.
Among the most significant victories was Democrat James Talarico’s defeat of Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, where Republicans invested heavily in advertising focused on transgender issues. The result represented a major political setback for a party that has dominated statewide Texas elections for decades.
In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins. Iowa voters elected Democrat Josh Turek, while North Carolina elected former Governor Roy Cooper.
New Hampshire also made history by electing Democrat Chris Pappas, the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate. Michigan elected Abdul El-Sayed, who will become the nation’s first Muslim senator.
House Democrats performed equally well, flipping districts in states including Iowa, Texas, and Indiana. In Indiana’s Fifth Congressional District, Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican incumbent Victoria Spartz in a district Trump carried by nearly 17 percentage points in 2024.
The results position House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to become the first Black speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes, provided he wins the leadership vote.
For transgender Americans, congressional control matters because Democrats will be positioned to block new federal restrictions, scrutinize agency policies, and investigate the Trump administration’s implementation of executive orders affecting LGBTQ+ people.
Senate control also gives Democrats the ability to reject presidential nominees, including judicial and executive branch appointments.
However, Trump will retain his veto power, meaning Democrats cannot simply repeal existing restrictions without additional support.
Democratic Governors Flip Key Republican States
Democrats also delivered significant victories in statehouses across the country.
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Ohio voters elected Democrat Amy Acton, while Georgia chose former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Iowa elected Democrat Rob Sand, ending two decades of Republican control of the governor’s office. Nevada voters also removed Republican Governor Joe Lombardo, electing Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, who will become the state’s first Black governor.
These victories could have considerable consequences for transgender residents.
Texas, in particular, has enacted numerous restrictions on transgender healthcare, school athletics, and legal recognition. Although Hinojosa’s election will not automatically overturn those laws, her administration could change enforcement priorities, influence agency appointments, and veto additional restrictions.
Similar opportunities exist in Ohio and Georgia, where incoming Democratic governors will have greater authority to challenge or resist legislation targeting transgender residents.
Democrats also captured the Wisconsin Senate, giving the party additional influence over legislation in a state where LGBTQ+ protections have been politically contested.
Still, governors cannot unilaterally repeal existing statutes, and Republican legislative majorities may continue advancing restrictive policies.
Anti-Trans Ballot Measures Reveal a Different Political Reality
While Democrats celebrated nationally, ballot measures targeting transgender people produced a considerably different outcome.
Six major proposals across five states addressed transgender participation in school athletics or gender-affirming medical care. As of the latest reporting available early November 5, three had been approved, one rejected, and two remained uncalled.
| State and measure | Latest result |
|---|---|
| Arizona Proposition 318 | Approved |
| Nebraska Initiative 442 | Approved |
| Washington Initiative 638 | Approved, called November 4 |
| Colorado Proposition 134 | Uncalled, Yes leading |
| Colorado Proposition 135 | Uncalled, Yes leading |
| Missouri Amendment 3 | Rejected |
Arizona voters approved Proposition 318, expanding restrictions involving school athletics, bathrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities based on sex recorded on an original birth certificate. Returns reported Wednesday showed approximately 59% supporting the measure.
Nebraska voters approved Initiative 442, placing restrictions on transgender girls’ participation in female school and college athletics into the state constitution. Approximately 68% supported the amendment in Wednesday’s reported returns.
Washington’s Initiative 638 was called for supporters Wednesday evening. The measure prohibits transgender girls from competing on girls’ school sports teams and requires medical documentation verifying eligibility. Critics have warned that the verification requirements could expose students to invasive questioning or examinations.
Colorado’s Proposition 134, which would restrict athletic participation according to reproductive characteristics, remained uncalled. Proposition 135, which would prohibit certain gender-related surgeries for minors, also remained undecided, although both measures were leading with approximately 52% support in Wednesday’s available counts.
Missouri provided a contrasting result. Voters rejected Amendment 3, which would have prohibited gender-affirming medical treatment for minors while also repealing constitutional abortion protections. Approximately 55% opposed the amendment.
Because Missouri’s proposal combined multiple issues, its defeat cannot be interpreted solely as a referendum on transgender healthcare.
Nevertheless, the results illustrate a significant challenge for LGBTQ+ advocates. Voters can support Democratic candidates while simultaneously approving restrictions on transgender people.
LGBTQ+ Protections Win Important Victories
Other states delivered more encouraging results for LGBTQ+ equality.
Vermont voters approved Proposal 4, strengthening constitutional equal protection guarantees covering sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, among other characteristics.
Virginia approved Question 2, removing the state’s outdated constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage and affirming marriage equality under state law.
Washington voters also appeared poised to reject a separate parental-rights initiative that critics warned could undermine privacy protections for transgender students. That proposal had not been conclusively called in the latest reporting reviewed.
The victories in Vermont and Virginia demonstrate that LGBTQ+ protections can still attract broad electoral support, even as restrictions involving transgender students succeed elsewhere.
What Happens During Trump’s Final Two Years?
When the new Congress takes office in January 2027, Democrats will have significantly more power to challenge the administration’s transgender policies.
Congressional committees can investigate federal agencies, demand records, hold hearings, and examine how executive orders affecting transgender Americans have been implemented.
Democrats can also refuse to advance new nationwide restrictions and use federal spending negotiations to challenge policies involving healthcare, education, and civil rights enforcement.
However, congressional control does not automatically reverse Trump’s executive orders. Federal agencies will remain under presidential authority, and the administration can continue defending its policies in court.
State governments will therefore remain central to the next phase of transgender rights litigation and legislation.
Democratic governors in Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Iowa, and Nevada could resist additional restrictions, while Republican-controlled legislatures may continue pursuing measures involving healthcare, athletics, identification documents, and school policies.
The federal judiciary will remain another important battleground, particularly as legal challenges to existing restrictions continue.
The Political Question Democrats Cannot Ignore
The election also raises questions about how Democrats will approach transgender rights heading into 2028.
Republicans spent heavily on transgender-related campaign messaging, particularly in Texas, yet suffered substantial electoral defeats. Those results complicate arguments that attacking transgender people provides a reliable path to victory.
At the same time, the success of several restrictive ballot measures demonstrates that opposition to particular transgender rights policies extends beyond voters who support Republican candidates.
Democrats will now face competing pressures from LGBTQ+ advocates seeking stronger protections and political strategists concerned about the electoral consequences of defending controversial policies.
Whether the party responds by strengthening its commitment to transgender equality or distancing itself from certain issues could shape its relationship with transgender voters over the next two years.
The midterms delivered a clear rejection of Republican control in Washington, but they did not produce a similarly clear national consensus on transgender rights.
For transgender Americans, Democratic victories offer an opportunity for stronger congressional oversight and resistance to additional federal restrictions. Yet the results in Arizona, Nebraska, and Washington demonstrate that state-level battles remain far from over.
The next two years will determine whether the new political balance produces lasting protections or merely slows the expansion of existing restrictions.
The election changed who holds power. What that means for transgender Americans will depend on how those elected officials choose to use it.
