In a sweeping upset to U.S. President Donald Trump’s power in Washington, the Democrats have retaken control of the American legislative branch.
Democrats have won the Senate, defeating Republican candidates in traditional GOP territory.
They also won control of Congress in a widespread rebuke of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, The Associated Press reports.
Canadians, two years deep into a trade brawl that delivered widespread job losses and grassroots boycotts, now wait to see if the shift in the balance of power will sway Washington’s tariff regime.
Canada-focused updates, analysis and results below:
Sort by
Democrats take Congress
At a glance: Democrats have won control of Congress in a widespread repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, a drubbing that reached deep into reliable GOP territory.
Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in ruby-red states and battlegrounds alike: Kansas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator in nearly a century, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
They held on to battleground seats in Georgia and Michigan. In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen districts, some that voted for Trump by double digits in 2024.
Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in ruby-red states and battlegrounds alike: Kansas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator in nearly a century, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
They held on to battleground seats in Georgia and Michigan. In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen districts, some that voted for Trump by double digits in 2024.
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, third from right, takes a selfie with Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga, second from right, and others at an election night event, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Key updates
- Democrats have won control of Congress, AP reports
- Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats
- Democrats will have power to block Trump's legislative agenda
- Trump congratulated Dems in post-election interview
- World leaders, markets react to results
- Carney, Trump say intensive trade talks underway
Too early to call outcome of California's billionaires tax proposal
A California measure to tax the net worth of billionaires that divided liberal leaders nationally and triggered one of the most expensive ballot fights in state history was too early to call Wednesday morning as the vote tally continued.
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5 per cent tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds US$1 billion, with most of the revenue dedicated to replacing federal funding cuts to healthcare. The measure left ultra-rich people, some of whom spent heavily to defeat it, scrambling to figure out whether they would pay the tax or leave California.
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5 per cent tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds US$1 billion, with most of the revenue dedicated to replacing federal funding cuts to healthcare. The measure left ultra-rich people, some of whom spent heavily to defeat it, scrambling to figure out whether they would pay the tax or leave California.
U.S. midterm elections result in a wave of historic firsts
The United States' first Black female governor, the first Indigenous female governor, the first Indigenous female senator and the first openly gay male U.S. senator had been declared winners on Tuesday.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones.
The astonishing Democratic wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
"These firsts show how our country is changing," Alexis Anderson-Reed, president and CEO of State Voices, a network of advocates for civic engagement and equity in democracy, said in an email.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones.
The astonishing Democratic wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
"These firsts show how our country is changing," Alexis Anderson-Reed, president and CEO of State Voices, a network of advocates for civic engagement and equity in democracy, said in an email.
This combination of photos shows Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds, left, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Fort Myers, Fla., and Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, right, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Smyrna, Ga. (AP Photo)
“For years, people of colour and LGBTQ+ communities have organized, knocked on doors, talked to voters, held conversations, and done the hard work of saving our democracy. These wins are because of them. -- Anderson-Reed”
World shares up as Democrats gain majorities
World shares were mostly higher Wednesday after the U.S. midterm election yielded majorities for the Democrats in both houses of Congress.
The results were a decisive rebuke of Republican governance and will bring a new era of congressional resistance to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Markets generally prefer that control of Washington be split between the Republicans and the Democrats. That is seen as offering less risk of sweeping policy changes that could reshape the economy.
"The magnitude of the gains for the Democrats in the midterms does not change too much for the near-term policy outlook, given the party still lacks a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and President Trump has veto power to block legislation," Stephen Brown of Capital Economics said in an analysis.
The results were a decisive rebuke of Republican governance and will bring a new era of congressional resistance to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Markets generally prefer that control of Washington be split between the Republicans and the Democrats. That is seen as offering less risk of sweeping policy changes that could reshape the economy.
"The magnitude of the gains for the Democrats in the midterms does not change too much for the near-term policy outlook, given the party still lacks a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and President Trump has veto power to block legislation," Stephen Brown of Capital Economics said in an analysis.
Kremlin's message for Trump, post-midterms
Russia hopes that Donald Trump will continue his "peacemaking efforts" after the midterm elections, the Kremlin said Wednesday, following a sweeping victory for the Democrats that dealt a blow to the U.S. president.
"President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev in a video posted by the reporter.
"President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev in a video posted by the reporter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with the Head of the Republic of Dagestan Fyodor Shchukin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
How Trump and Republicans lost midterms: The AP Voter Poll
After more than a decade with Donald Trump at the epicentre of U.S. politics, most voters appear exhausted and exasperated by him, according to The AP Voter Poll, a survey of midterm voters in all 50 states.
The president's failure to deliver on key promises -- most prominently, his vows to tame inflation, which has worsened instead -- clearly weighed on his fellow Republicans in Tuesday's midterm elections for the House and the Senate. The polling shows that voters generally saw Trump as being more focused on his own fortune and gold-leafed existence than their needs.
The president also helped elevate candidates with obvious flaws, amplifying their struggles in an already challenging year.
But the poll also contains a serious note of caution for Democrats. Many voters dislike the party -- and while Democrats hold an advantage on key issues such as the economy, their edge is relatively slim. About 7 in 10 voters said that Congress isn't doing enough to provide checks and balances for the president, setting the bar for Democrats who won back the Senate and the House.
The president's failure to deliver on key promises -- most prominently, his vows to tame inflation, which has worsened instead -- clearly weighed on his fellow Republicans in Tuesday's midterm elections for the House and the Senate. The polling shows that voters generally saw Trump as being more focused on his own fortune and gold-leafed existence than their needs.
The president also helped elevate candidates with obvious flaws, amplifying their struggles in an already challenging year.
But the poll also contains a serious note of caution for Democrats. Many voters dislike the party -- and while Democrats hold an advantage on key issues such as the economy, their edge is relatively slim. About 7 in 10 voters said that Congress isn't doing enough to provide checks and balances for the president, setting the bar for Democrats who won back the Senate and the House.
The dawn illuminates the Senate side of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Barack Obama: Americans sent clear message
Former U.S. president Barack Obama posted a statement on X overnight, saying American voters sent a clear message that they want unity rather than division.
"While this administration has another two years in office, our job now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes wherever we have the power to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future," he wrote.
"While this administration has another two years in office, our job now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes wherever we have the power to do so, prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future," he wrote.
Democratic takeover of Congress: What next
Democrats are preparing a legislative offensive against U.S. President Donald Trump after their sweeping midterm victory handed them control of both chambers of Congress and the power to challenge his policies, investigate his administration and block his nominees.
Emboldened by victories deep in traditional Republican territory, the party is promising swift action on living costs and the war in Iran, while signalling that investigations of alleged abuses and corruption will be a major priority.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become the first Black speaker when the new Congress takes office in January, vowed to go after what he described as “unprecedented corruption” in the government.
“Because if you have people in high office who are so focused on enriching themselves, their family members, their friends, or their donors, then they’re not focused on making life better for the American people,” he said.
Midterms launch wave of historic firsts
There were cheers and happy tears at election parties from New Mexico to Georgia late Tuesday once it became clear voters had elected the country’s first Black female governor, the first Indigenous female governor, the first Native female senator and the first openly gay male U.S. senator.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was also added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones. The astonishing blue wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator was also added to the list of barrier-breaking milestones. The astonishing blue wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House.
Most of these firsts are Democrats, but the GOP has also broken some new ground.
Democrat wins Michigan Senate race
Progressive favourite Abdul El-Sayed has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party’s left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator. A former public health official who has never held elected office, he rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
“You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates,” El-Sayed told a Detroit crowd early Wednesday as he declared victory. “Thank you. This is all yours.”
Maine Democrat ousts Republican
Maine Democrat Troy Jackson has ousted longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins to cap a U.S. Senate race that was, in part, shaped by the trade war between Canada and the United States.
It added to a blue wave that propelled the Democrats to take control of the Senate and punished allies of President Donald Trump.
“We have to stand up to Donald Trump. We have to stand up for our democracy,” Jackson told supporters in a victory speech.
Reshaped Washington
Trump faces a profoundly reshaped Washington for the last two years of his presidency.
Democrats will have the power to block his legislative agenda, reject his appointees and investigate his administration.
After telling voters repeatedly to “pretend I’m on the ballot,” Trump tried to shift the blame away from himself, saying Democrats “did a good job” in their campaigns and blaming GOP candidates for losses. Most voters appear to blame his administration for high costs and want Congress to impose more checks on him, according to The AP Voter Poll.
Democrats will have the power to block his legislative agenda, reject his appointees and investigate his administration.
After telling voters repeatedly to “pretend I’m on the ballot,” Trump tried to shift the blame away from himself, saying Democrats “did a good job” in their campaigns and blaming GOP candidates for losses. Most voters appear to blame his administration for high costs and want Congress to impose more checks on him, according to The AP Voter Poll.
The White House is illuminated, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
‘New era in world relations:’ South African leader
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Democrats taking control of the House and the Senate in the U.S. midterms is going to “introduce a new era in world relations.”
Ramaphosa says he hopes South Africa will be able to improve its bilateral relationship with the United States after his country became a target for criticism during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Trump’s Republican administration has made several moves against South Africa’s government, which he has baselessly accused of discriminating against its white minority. Those moves include excluding South Africa from meetings of the Group of 20 countries this year in the U.S. and suspending it from AGOA, a key U.S.-Africa trade program.
Ramaphosa says he hopes South Africa will be able to improve its bilateral relationship with the United States after his country became a target for criticism during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Trump’s Republican administration has made several moves against South Africa’s government, which he has baselessly accused of discriminating against its white minority. Those moves include excluding South Africa from meetings of the Group of 20 countries this year in the U.S. and suspending it from AGOA, a key U.S.-Africa trade program.
Democratic candidate Aaron Ford calls for patience as votes are tallied
Democratic candidate for governor Aaron Ford told supporters around midnight to be patient. Ford, the attorney general, is challenging incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo in a closely watched race in Nevada.
“Counting takes time. That’s not a flaw in our system; that’s actually our system doing its job,” he said in Las Vegas, encouraging supporters to “stay calm” and “keep the faith.”
“Counting takes time. That’s not a flaw in our system; that’s actually our system doing its job,” he said in Las Vegas, encouraging supporters to “stay calm” and “keep the faith.”
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, left, greets supporters after speaking at an election night event Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Republican wins reelection to U.S. Senate from Nebraska
Republican Pete Ricketts won election Wednesday to the U.S. Senate representing Nebraska, defeating independent candidate Dan Osborn.
Ricketts will now serve his first full six-year term, following his 2023 appointment to replace Republican Sen. Ben Sasse and 2024 special election victory. Osborn, an industrial mechanic and military veteran, also ran in 2024 against the state’s other Republican senator, Deb Fischer.
Democrat Cindy Burbank won her party’s primary earlier this year but served as a stalking horse candidate for Osborn, campaigning on her intention to withdraw and clear the way for the independent candidate, who was backed by Democratic leaders. Ricketts is a former Nebraska governor and a wealthy investor. The Associated Press declared Ricketts the winner at 3:27 a.m. EST.
Ricketts will now serve his first full six-year term, following his 2023 appointment to replace Republican Sen. Ben Sasse and 2024 special election victory. Osborn, an industrial mechanic and military veteran, also ran in 2024 against the state’s other Republican senator, Deb Fischer.
Democrat Cindy Burbank won her party’s primary earlier this year but served as a stalking horse candidate for Osborn, campaigning on her intention to withdraw and clear the way for the independent candidate, who was backed by Democratic leaders. Ricketts is a former Nebraska governor and a wealthy investor. The Associated Press declared Ricketts the winner at 3:27 a.m. EST.
Democrats lead by just 28 votes in Mississippi Senate race: U.S. reports
Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 28 votes in Mississippi’s Senate race, according to The New York Times, ABC News and NBC News.
More than 945,000 votes have been reported, which accounts for 96.5 per cent of expected votes. NBC News said an estimated 35,000 votes remain to be counted.
Hyde-Smith has served as senator since 2018.
President Donald Trump greets Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., at a campaign rally at Crossroads Arena, in Corinth, Miss., Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party’s left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator.
El-Sayed’s primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, shocked Democrats by endorsing Rogers on Nov. 1, saying the Democratic candidate hadn’t done enough to address her and the Jewish community’s concerns.
Which seats flipped?
Six Senate seats and more than a dozen in the House have flipped toward Democrats. It's the first time in decades that Texas, Kansas and South Carolina have elected Democratic senators. Democrats also flipped seats in North Carolina and Ohio.
Democrats Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Amy Acton in Ohio, Rod Sand in Iowa and Gina Hinojosa in Texas won races for governor, flipping GOP-held offices.
Fox News: Trump highlights the 'power of veto'
Trump stressed on Tuesday that he plans to use the "power of veto" to block Democrat-backed legislation, as the party is expected to take control of the House and Senate.
"It's one of the stronger powers that a president has," he told Fox News' Bret Baier. "And they'll send over things that are insane and I'll veto them. And after a couple of months of vetoes, they'll go out and they'll say, how do we get this stuff done? And we'll work together."
President Donald Trump walks from the podium after speaking at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Susan Collins will lose Maine: reports
Republican Susan Collins will lose her Senate seat in Maine to Democrat Troy Jackson, both CNN and Fox News project.
Collins had lobbied Trump to drop tariffs on Canada in October, but it wasn’t enough for Maine voters to re-elect Collins to a sixth term in office.
Collins and tariffs
Republican Senator Susan Collins made headlines in Canada last month after she announced tariffs on some Canadian agricultural-sector goods would come down.
She took credit for the relief, saying they followed her discussions with U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick – both of whom have been involved in negotiations with Canada – and senior Trump administration officials.
In turn, the Trump administration added new tariffs in their place.
Trump criticizes Texas governor after loss
After Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s defeat, Trump accused him of being a “RINO,” or a “Republican In Name Only.”
Abbott, one of the president’s most steadfast allies, lost his bid for a fourth term to Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
“If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn’t become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn’t have lost,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!”
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listens during an event in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
‘I thought they’d do better, actually’: Trump on Fox News
In an interview after a night that saw Democrats sweep the House and Senate, Trump told Fox News he was “a little surprised” that the Republicans had lost; and he thought “they’d do better, actually.”
When asked how he would work, in his last two years as president, with a Democratic House and Democratic Senate, he replied: “It’s been done before, as you know, numerous times, and it’s a power of veto.”
He said veto power is one of the “stronger powers that a president has,” and added if the Democrats “send over things that are insane,” presumably referring to legislation, “I’ll veto them.”
Despite that, he also said he would “work together” with the Democrats.
When asked why voters didn’t seem to heed his call to pretend that he’s on the ballot in the midterms, Trump said simply that voters “didn’t like the candidates.” He added that some of the candidates he endorsed fought him, and voters “didn’t’ like that they fought me.”
A banner with a portrait of President Donald Trump is seen hung outside the Department of Justice, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
'VETO' Trump takes to social media
Trump posted three Truth Social posts within the span of a few minutes after news agencies projected Democrats taking the Senate.
The posts ranged from a critique of Texas Republican candidate Greg Abbott, calling him a RINO (i.e., a Republican in name only), to a picture depicting a red hat with the word "VETO" on it.
In interviews before the midterms, Trump had hinted he would become "Mr. Veto" if Democrats won.
Democrats take Congress: reports
In a wide-ranging upset to Republican legislative power, the Democrats have flipped both the House of Representatives and the Senate, various U.S. media report.
The U.S. Capitol and Democratic supporters celebrating in Maine and Kansas are shown on U.S. midterm election day in a combination photo. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert/Robert F. Bukaty/Charlie Riedel)
Dems win first Kansas Senate seat in 94 years: U.S. media report
Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, both the Associated Press and NBC News project.
He is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1932.
Trump won Kansas by 16 points in 2024.
A tale of two Sullivans
A lot has been made of the two Dan Sullivans on the ballot in the Alaska senate race.
One, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher who’s run an invisible campaign, the other Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan.
The New York Times alleged this week it was Democratic operatives working alongside the Mary Peltola campaign who recruited the second Dan Sullivan to run in hopes of stealing votes away from the incumbent.
But based on voters we’re speaking with in Anchorage, the Dan Sullivan ballot issue is not resonating as an issue that could change voting intention.
Multiple voters have told us it is not difficult to differentiate between the two on the ballot. Others pointed out this is the kind of sneaky behaviour both parties have engaged in in U.S. politics, and they think a bigger deal is being made of it by the media and those in the “lower 48” than here in Alaska.
One man did tell me he thinks it’s cheating, and if he’d been planning to vote Mary Peltola, he’d be changing his vote.
In polling prior to voting day, Peltola’s been holding a narrow lead over Sullivan. If elected, she would be the state’s first Democratic senator since 2008.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks at an election night event Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A Dem for governor in Texas
Texans have elected Democrat Gina Hinojosa to serve as their governor, the Associated Press reports.
She’s the first Democrat governor to win since 1994, beating her Trump-backed Republican competitor, Greg Abbott.
She’s the first Democrat governor to win since 1994, beating her Trump-backed Republican competitor, Greg Abbott.
Will a renewed Congress halt the tariffs?
A Congress led by Trump’s critics could certainly pass laws making it explicit that Trump’s tariffs must stop. But unless those critics hold a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress, Trump can veto their laws.
More plausibly, an energized and combative Congress might fight Trump on so many fronts, that trying to maintain an unpopular and counterproductive tariff war against Canada could just slip down his list of priorities. He could instruct his negotiators to conclude the tariff war, and then proceed to declare victory to the world.
Equally, though, there is a risk that he might redouble his efforts and intensify the tariff war, if he believes that Congress is blocking other public policy avenues that had been open to him when his party held both chambers.
The tariffs will still be in place in the morning. But the balance of power in the United States is likely to be very different.
Where that will lead in the mornings to follow will be decided by other political contests that have not yet begun.
Trump says he’ll work with Democrats: New York Times
Despite Trump’s bombastic language on Truth Social where he claimed he would have ‘won IN A LANDSLIDE’ if it was him on the ballot, he told The New York Times in an interview he’s willing to not only accept the midterm results, but he’d also work with Democrats.
“I am absolutely willing to accept those results,” he said in an interview shortly before 10:30pm ET, while he was watching election results at the White House, according to the Times.
“We’ll work with the Democrats,” he added, “and we’ll, you know, look forward to working with them. We’ll probably work something out.”
Trump says ‘we would have won’ if he was on ballot
U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on Truth Social for the first time since U.S. media projected Democrats will take the House.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” read his post.
Prior to election day, Trump had told supporters to “just pretend I’m on the ballot,” urging Republicans to vote to protect his “America First” agenda.
With files from CTV News Washington Bureau Chief Joy Malbon
President Donald Trump speaks in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
2026 midterms changes calculus on trade
Democrats have won in the south, they have won in red states, and they have even when being wildly outspent. Voters soundly rebuked Trump’s key economic policy, including tariffs, and they sent a resounding message they want a check on his power, including his trade authorities.
Now the White House, weakened and severely diminished, heads into key negotiations with Ottawa. The landscape is ripe for an agreement, but it remains to be seen if Trump will listen.
Democrats flip Ohio Senate seat
Democrat Sherrod Brown won the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, defeating Republican incumbent Jon Husted, according to multiple U.S. media outlets.
Brown served in the Senate for three terms until he lost his seat in 2024.
Husted had been appointed to the seat to replace JD Vance after he became vice-president.
Ohio is the fourth Republican seat to flip Democrat Tuesday night.
Former U.S. president Barack Obama stands with Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, right, during a campaign rally, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Is the tariff war over, or just beginning?
As the Democrats take back control of Congress, what difference might that make to the Canada-U.S. tariff war? The difficulty in answering the question that is on the minds of so many Canadians, is that the tariff war itself is so irrational as to defy reasoned analysis.
Quoting laws to men with swords
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution is utterly clear. It is Congress, and not the president, that holds the exclusive authority to set tariffs and regulate international trade. Yet, Donald Trump has never sought or received congressional authorization for his tariff war.
The tariffs he has imposed on Canada, and on so many other countries, are flatly illegal. But that fact has not deterred him from imposing them.
It is, therefore, something of a riddle to ask whether a constitutional change in legislative leadership might alter a policy that is unconstitutionally defying the legislature.
How is this possible?
Trump has been relying on a series of previous laws that authorized the president to act on behalf of Congress, to levy tariffs if necessary to respond to situations too grave, too pressing, or too transient to be referred back to the legislature.
Some of those laws concern national security. Some have strict time limits. Some are meant to respond to discriminatory practices against Americans. None of those laws empowers the president to substitute himself for Congress to make ordinary tariff policy.
It is for this reason that Trump has had recourse to a series of flimsy pretexts to justify his tariffs: that they are responding to a national fentanyl emergency emanating from Canada; that they are blocking a national security threat caused by illegal immigration from Canada; that they are combatting Canada’s involvement in international slavery.
The presidential administration neither believes any of these claims, nor expects anyone else to believe them. These are merely the incantations the administration believes it can use to transform unconstitutional tariffs into legally-passable tariffs.
Acton defeats Ramaswamy in Ohio governor race
Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor race, CNN and MS NOW have reported.
The race saw major controversy in the final month after Ramaswamy’s camp released an ad that featured Acton’s estranged mother, saying she lied about her childhood.
Acton’s mother lost custody of her other children decades ago after her husband was indicted for sexually assaulting Amy Acton.
Amy Acton speaks to media outside her polling place on the Capitol University campus after voting in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Trump says ‘we would have won’ if he was on ballot
U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on Truth Social for the first time since U.S. media projected Democrats will take the House.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” read his post.
Prior to election day, Trump had told supporters to “just pretend I’m on the ballot,” urging Republicans to vote to protect his “America First” agenda.
With files from CTV News Washington Bureau Chief Joy Malbon
Republican double trouble
It’s important to have historical context in interpreting how the Republicans are doing. The party in the White House usually faces a rough ride in the midterms. In 2010, Obama lost 63 seats in the House and six in the Senate to the Republicans. Obama himself called it a shellacking.
The Iran-U.S. war is the perfect storm for the Democrats — it’s a foreign policy quagmire for President Trump and it intersects with the price of gas. Double trouble for the Republicans.
For the last two years the Republicans have enjoyed a political trifecta — holding the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Democrats picking up the House unravels the firm grip of the Republicans.
As we wait for more results the big question now will be the Senate.
For the last two years the Republicans have enjoyed a political trifecta — holding the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Democrats picking up the House unravels the firm grip of the Republicans.
As we wait for more results the big question now will be the Senate.
The first-ever openly gay male U.S. senator
Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu to become New Hampshire's next senator.
Pappas makes history as the first openly-gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.
Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Chris Pappas, right, D-N.H., greets the crowd at an election night event, with Vann Bentley, left, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)
Democrats flip South Carolina, U.S. news outlets project
CNN, NBC News and The New York Times so far are projecting that Democrat Annie Andrews will win the Senate race in South Carolina.
This means the Democrats have flipped a seat that has been Republican red for nearly three decades.
The Associated Press has yet to call the state but show Democrats with a four-point lead with nearly 90 per cent of the vote counted, so far.
Georgia rebukes Trump’s ‘depravity, corruption’: Ossoff
Ossoff addressed supporters Tuesday night after he was re-elected in the Georgia Senate race. He reiterated that the Trump administration is corrupt and that everyday Americans were falling behind.
“The American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of the failed lame duck president Donald J. Trump," he said. He added: “Together, we’ve affirmed that our task is not just to contain one president’s wickedness, but to heal the brokenness beneath."
Republican Bill Hagerty re-elected in Tennessee
Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty has secured re-election in Tennessee, defeating Democratic challenger Marquita Bradshaw to claim another six-year term, according to an NBC News projection.
Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., reacts on stage at a campaign rally at F&M Bank Arena, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Clarksville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Strategists sound off on Michigan Senate race
Democratic and Republican strategists shared their thoughts on how the midterms were unfolding, including the Senate race in Michigan, in an interview on CTV News Channel Tuesday night.
Marj Halperin, a Democratic strategist, said she believes Democrat Abdul El-Sayed will win in Michigan. While she canvassed through the state, Halperin said she spoke to uncertain voters, including Republican ones, and reminded them how the U.S. had been fighting with Canada.
"And of course, they know that this is an ally that matters to those border states. Michigan is suffering already from the trade war," Halperin said.
Evan Siegfried, a Republican strategist, said a number of issues will factor into the Wolverine state.
"In Michigan, the real question is two things: What do African (American) voters do and what do Jewish voters do?" he added.
Halperin said she met a Michigan woman who bought a new boat this year because she feared paying 12 per cent more for it due to the aluminum tariffs.
"They're very well aware of how the fight is harming their pocketbook but also kind of hurting our hearts, because Canada is friends of ours.”
Collins and tariffs
Republican Senator Susan Collins made headlines in Canada last month after she announced tariffs on some Canadian agricultural-sector goods would come down.
She took credit for the relief, saying they followed her discussions with U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick – both of whom have been involved in negotiations with Canada – and senior Trump administration officials.
In turn, the Trump administration added new tariffs in their place.
Is Susan Collins in trouble in Maine?
An NBC News exit poll says Susan Collins' run as the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history could be in jeopardy, because her support among young voters and independents has plummeted from 67% and 54%, respectively, in 2008, to 25% and 41% now.
The economy of the border state of Maine has been hit hard in the Canada-U.S. trade war. With 10% of votes counted so far in the Senate election, Democrat Troy D. Jackson holds a slight lead over incumbent Collins as of 9:40pm ET.
Democrats back independent candidate in Nebraska
Democrats took an unusual approach in Nebraska’s Senate race, backing Independent candidate Dan Osborn against Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, despite Osborn distancing himself from the party.
Ricketts entered the contest in a state Trump won by more than 20 percentage points in 2024. Osborn, a U.S. Navy veteran and former union leader, drew on his previous campaign, when he came within seven percentage points of Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.
Presenting himself as a moderate, Osborn criticized both Trump and Democratic positions on immigration and gun rights, while Ricketts remained aligned with the president despite some policy disagreements.
Ricketts entered the contest in a state Trump won by more than 20 percentage points in 2024. Osborn, a U.S. Navy veteran and former union leader, drew on his previous campaign, when he came within seven percentage points of Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.
Presenting himself as a moderate, Osborn criticized both Trump and Democratic positions on immigration and gun rights, while Ricketts remained aligned with the president despite some policy disagreements.
Independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn speaks at an election night watch party at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha La Vista Hotel & Conference Center in La Vista, Neb., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan)
Is Susan Collins in trouble in Maine?
An NBC News exit poll says Susan Collins' run as the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history could be in jeopardy, because her support among young voters and independents has plummeted from 67% and 54%, respectively, in 2008, to 25% and 41% now.
The economy of the border state of Maine has been hit hard in the Canada-U.S. trade war. With 10% of votes counted so far in the Senate election, Democrat Troy D. Jackson holds a slight lead over incumbent Collins as of 9:40pm ET.
First-ever Black Republican governor elected
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds has defeated Democrat David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor.
He will become Florida's first-ever Black governor and the country’s first Black Republican governor.
President Donald Trump listens as Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign rally at the Ocean Center, in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Republican Kevin Hern wins election to U.S. Senate from Oklahoma
Republican Kevin Hern won election Tuesday to the U.S. Senate representing Oklahoma, defeating Democrat N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas.
Hern has served in the House since 2018 and was heavily favoured to beat Thomas, a nurse and military spouse.
Poll closing times
Here's a handy chart by the Associated Press on when and where polls are closing tonight. (All times Eastern)
Opens in new window
