By Tiffany Williams –
Across New England on Tuesday night, Nov. 3, the closing chapter of a chaotic 2026 campaign delivered a wicked blue night. Democrats claimed major victories throughout the region, ousted Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in Maine and helped secure a national shift in power that will reshape the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
Democrats won the seats needed to take control of the U.S. Senate and captured the House, NewsTalk New England projects. Their Senate gains stretched beyond New England, with major upsets in Texas, South Carolina and Kansas, along with flipped seats in Maine, Iowa, Ohio and North Carolina. Democrats also held their Senate seats in Georgia and New Hampshire.
The results will change the balance of power in Washington after two years in which Republican control of both chambers helped advance Trump’s agenda. With Democrats positioned to control Congress, the administration faces the prospect of legislative resistance, investigations and greater scrutiny from congressional committees.
In Massachusetts, U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey defeated Republican John Deaton. Markey received 995,793 votes, or 64.3%, compared with Deaton’s 481,574 votes and 31.1%. Joe Tache received 35,419 votes, while Shiva Ayyadurai received 35,397, putting each at 2.3%.
Gov. Maura Healey also won reelection, securing a second four-year term. Healey received 982,095 votes, or 63.1%, while Michael Minogue received 521,167 votes, or 33.5%. Andrea James followed with 52,047 votes and 3.3%.
The Massachusetts congressional races included decisive advantages for the projected winners in five districts. In the 6th District, Dan Koh was projected to defeat Micah Jones, leading with 105,513 votes and 62.9% to Jones’ 62,101 votes and 37.1%, with 48.7% of the expected vote counted.
In the 4th District, Jake Auchincloss was projected to win against Thomas Stalcup. Auchincloss had 92,913 votes, or 68.2%, to Stalcup’s 43,255 votes and 31.8%, with 42.3% of the expected vote counted.
Lori Trahan was the projected winner in the 3rd District, receiving 70,653 votes and 65.2% in the reported count. Gary Grossi had 34,941 votes and 32.2%, while Dennis Conlon received 2,830 votes and 2.6%. The figures reflected 35.7% of the expected vote.
Richard Neal was projected to win the 1st District, leading Nadia Milleron with 120,666 votes and 66.1%. Milleron had 61,802 votes and 33.9%, with 59.3% of the expected vote counted. In the 9th District, projected winner Bill Keating had 117,864 votes and 62%, compared with Tyler Macallister’s 72,224 votes and 38%, with 50.1% counted.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell was projected to defeat Michael Walsh. Campbell had 1,027,490 votes, or 66.8%, to Walsh’s 510,933 votes and 33.2%, with 54.2% of the expected vote counted.
Secretary of State William Galvin was also projected to win, receiving 1,105,144 votes and 72.4%. Anne Brensley had 421,681 votes and 27.6%, with 53.9% of the expected vote counted. Auditor Diana DiZoglio was projected to defeat Al Ozonoff, holding 1,164,707 votes and 84.27% to Ozonoff’s 217,397 votes and 15.73%, with half the expected vote counted.
In the Norfolk district attorney’s race, Djuna Perkins was projected to win with 138,143 votes and 72.63%. Joseph Pagliarulo had 52,058 votes and 27.37%, with 62% of the expected vote counted. In Bristol County, Christopher Markey led Seth Aitken with 54,441 votes and 58.58% to Aitken’s 38,489 votes and 41.42%, with 41% counted; that race had not been designated a projected win in the reported results.
New Hampshire delivered another important Senate victory for Democrats, with Chris Pappas projected to defeat John Sununu. Pappas had 318,984 votes, or 56.2%, while Sununu received 238,583 votes and 42%. Edmond Laplante had 10,364 votes and 1.8%, with 83% of the expected vote counted.
The New Hampshire governor’s race remained too early to call. Kelly Ayotte led Cinde Warmington with 288,816 votes and 51.1% to Warmington’s 267,211 votes and 47.3%. Stephen Villee had 9,200 votes and 1.6%, with 82.7% of the expected vote counted.
In New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, Stefany Shaheen was projected to defeat Anthony DiLorenzo. Shaheen had 165,641 votes and 57.2%, compared with DiLorenzo’s 124,103 votes and 42.8%, with 84.1% counted.
Maggie Goodlander was the projected winner in the 2nd District, receiving 161,999 votes and 59.1%. Lily Tang Williams had 105,669 votes and 38.6%, while Robbie Mahrou received 6,338 votes and 2.3%, with 80.8% of the expected vote counted.
Maine produced one of the night’s most consequential results. Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Collins, NewsTalk New England projects, ending the five-term Republican senator’s bid for another term and delivering a seat Democrats had pursued for decades.
Jackson received 291,682 votes, or 53%, compared with Collins’ 258,254 votes and 46.9%. Write-in candidates Ashley Webb and Sigrid Olson received 58 and 34 votes, respectively.
Jackson, 58, a fifth-generation logger and former Maine Senate president, entered the general election after an unsettled Democratic nomination process. Democrats selected him in July after their initial nominee, Graham Platner, withdrew following an allegation of sexual assault. Jackson had earlier lost his bid for governor and campaigned for the Senate as a champion of working people.
Collins was the only Republican incumbent seeking reelection to the Senate in a state Kamala Harris carried in 2024. Her history of breaking with Trump and surviving difficult political environments had made the race a significant test for Democrats, even as they viewed Maine as their clearest opportunity to pick up a seat.
In Maine’s governor’s race, Hannah Pingree was projected to win with 277,361 votes and 53.6%. Bobby Charles had 198,905 votes and 38.4%, while Rick Bennett received 41,355 votes and 8%, with 68% of the expected vote counted. Write-in candidates Randy Wilcox and John Glowa received 174 and 44 votes, respectively.
Vermont provided a Republican exception to the region’s Democratic victories. Gov. Phil Scott was projected to win, receiving 161,432 votes and 52.4% to Amanda Janoo’s 141,181 votes and 45.8%, with 98.7% of the expected vote counted. Brian Judd, June Goodband and Dean Roy each received less than 1%.
Molly Gray was projected to win Vermont’s lieutenant governor’s race with 190,507 votes and 62.8%. John Rodgers received 112,346 votes and 37%, while write-ins accounted for 704 votes.
Charity Clark was projected to win the Vermont attorney general’s race, receiving 199,864 votes and 67.7% to Edwin Kemon’s 94,506 votes and 32%, with 98.4% counted. Sarah Copeland Hanzas was the projected winner for secretary of state, with 174,165 votes and 59.2%, followed by H. Paige with 95,762 votes and 32.5%, and Rachel Shaw with 23,931 votes and 8.1%.
In Rhode Island, Helena Foulkes was projected to win the governor’s race with 203,894 votes and 57.5%. Kenneth Block received 98,914 votes and 27.9%, while Aaron Guckian had 46,997 votes and 13.3%, with 93.4% of the expected vote counted. C. Reynolds and Jasjit Gotra each received less than 1%.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed was projected to win reelection with 236,408 votes and 66.6%. Raymond McKay had 104,649 votes and 29.5%, while Michael Bahry received 13,389 votes and 3.8%, with 93.4% counted.
Sabina Matos was projected to win Rhode Island’s lieutenant governor’s race, receiving 207,858 votes and 59.1% to John Loughlin II’s 142,723 votes and 40.6%, with 92.9% counted. Kimberly Ahern was projected to win the attorney general’s race with 230,203 votes and 66.2%, compared with Alan Gordon’s 116,872 votes and 33.6%, with 92.1% counted.
In Providence, David Morales was projected to win the mayor’s race with 30,703 votes and 80.98%. David Talan received 6,531 votes and 17.22%, while write-ins accounted for 682 votes, with 96% of the expected vote counted.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont was projected to defeat Ryan Fazio. Lamont had 505,240 votes and 57.1% to Fazio’s 379,203 votes and 42.9%, with 65.3% of the expected vote counted.
Attorney General William Tong was projected to win with 524,064 votes and 61.2%, compared with John Bolton’s 331,596 votes and 38.8%, with 63.5% counted. Stephanie Thomas was projected to win the secretary of state’s race with 528,766 votes and 61.6%, while Peter Lumaj had 330,217 votes and 38.4%, with 63.8% counted.
Beyond New England, Texas delivered two major Democratic victories. James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race, while Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa’s victory makes her the first Democrat elected governor of Texas in more than three decades. The last Democrat to hold the office was Ann Richards, who served from 1991 to 1995.
Republicans held Florida’s Senate seat, where Ashley Moody defeated Democrat Angie Nixon, NewsTalk New England projects. Moody, 51, was appointed in 2025 to fill the vacancy left by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and previously served as Florida’s attorney general, following work as a commercial litigator and federal prosecutor.
The reported vote totals remain preliminary, with counting still underway in multiple states and New Hampshire’s governor’s race unresolved. But the projected results establish a major change in Washington: Democrats will control both chambers of Congress, while New England supplied a series of victories that helped make that shift possible.