Trump told Americans to ‘pretend I’m on the ballot.’ They did — and voted against him

Democrats swept to a strong showing in the 2026 midterms, a result the Republican president, Donald Trump, had effectively invited by urging supporters in recent months to treat the vote as if he were on the ballot. His approval is at historic lows, and the party flipped at least seven Senate seats, though it had needed wins in at least two states Trump carried by double digits, according to The Independent.

The Independent reports that Texas and Maine elected their first Democratic senators in nearly 40 years, and Kansas its first in nearly 100. Michigan's Senate contest was called for Abdul El-Sayed over Mike Rogers, whom Trump had endorsed. Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia's governorship, becoming the first Black woman to lead a state, while Amy Acton beat Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio. Democrats also took or held trifectas in Arizona, Michigan and Minnesota, flipped legislative chambers in several states, and Florida Republicans lost their House supermajority. Districts Republicans redrew at Trump's urging cost them seats, some he carried two years ago.

Trump said on Fox News the Democrats "did a good job," then blamed the network, Greg Abbott and others, insisting he had not been on the ballot.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →