By Paige Albright
Boston University News Service
Notions of a seismic “blue wave” broke out online Tuesday night after major wins in historic Republican strongholds labeled the Democratic Party the winners of the midterm elections.
States like Texas, South Carolina, Iowa and Ohio will see democratic state leaders for the first time in decades. A series of other firsts also dominated headlines as the first Hispanic female, black female, native American female and openly gay man were elected to their respective offices.
Results are still in the process of being certified, but projections all but guarantee the flipping of control in both the House and the Senate. The AP announced before the end of election night that Democrats had overtaken control of the Senate, winning seven new seats.
Certain races, like for the Senate seat in Mississippi, are still too close to call, over twelve hours after polls have closed in a state most would never predict to be a battleground. Less than a percent separates the Democratic Colom and Republican Hyde-Smith.
Winning over 13 additional seats in the House of Representatives, Democrats secured control later into the evening of the second chamber of Congress.
The impact of the “blue wave” is already being studied. A Washington Post analysis showed double-digit shifts in key groups like Hispanic voters, rural Americans and middle-class citizens, towards Democratic candidates.
These voting groups were instrumental in deciding the 2024 Presidential Election in Donald Trump’s favor. Voter turnout rates are expected to be high, especially as public displeasure with the current administration and worries about affordability are on the rise.
For many, the lead-up felt more energetic, even though it was just a midterm, said Grace Halipas (CAS’27). She traveled home to New Hampshire to vote, noting the close race.
“It feels like a national holiday, where in 2024 it was crushing the day after,” Halipas said. “So exciting to see results come in back home, but then to see a state like Texas go blue, things feel hopeful for the first time in a long time.”
In New Hampshire, the newly elected democratic Chris Pappas will be the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate. The other battleground Senate race in New England saw the Democratic Troy Jackson beat the five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Despite Democrats securing control of both chambers, they still fall short of a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto. President Trump took to Truth Social on election night, sharing a photo of a hat with the word VETO spelled out.
Both parties have spoken out, claiming to be ready to work together to get things done; with political divisions at an all-time high, it is unclear how things will play out.
The state election results
In Massachusetts, voters reelected incumbent Democratic candidates, Maura Healey to the governor’s office and Ed Markey to the Senate. All 9 congressional seats for the U.S. House from Massachusetts have been called for Democrats or are districts where they ran unopposed.
A record-tying nine ballot questions appeared on the state’s ballot this November.
Two of the ballot questions were still too close to call as of Thursday evening. Question 7, which would allow for smaller lots for single-family homes, was virtually tied, with less than 1,000 votes separating voters. And Question 5, which would alter the state revenue tax limit, was also still too close to call.
Results of the other seven ballot questions have been announced;
Ballot question 1, to make most records held by the governor’s office and Legislature subject to the state’s public records law, has passed.
Ballot question 2, allowing employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services to form a union, passed, winning over 60% of the vote, according to Reuters data.
Ballot question 3 did not pass. This bill would have changed Massachusetts’ primary elections, starting in 2028, into non-partisan, all-party primaries where all candidates would have appeared on one primary ballot and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, would have advanced to the general elections.
Ballot question 4 passed; now voters are able to register to vote on the day of the elections in Massachusetts going forward.
Ballot question 6 is projected to pass. This policy proposal would establish a “Nature for All Fund” that would receive 50% of state taxes from sporting goods, recreational vehicles and golf courses. This money would then be used for natural resource conservation, such as protecting green spaces and bodies of water.
Ballot question 8 saw lots of media coverage in the lead-up to the election and has been projected to fail. The proposed law would have kept the medical use of marijuana legal, but closed recreational cannabis dispensaries. And limited the legal amount of marijuana to one ounce or less, and any more would result in a penalty.
Ballot question 9, which was a referendum question, looks to pass. Voting yes will uphold current gun reform law, Chapter 135, from 2024, which strengthened gun regulations in the state.
