Voters delivered Democrats a decisive victory over congressional Republicans and a significant rebuke to the Trump administration on November 3, awarding control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and dramatically reshaping the political landscape for the final two years of President Trump’s term. The results represent one of the largest midterm swings in the 21st century and will force Republicans to navigate a divided government when the 120th Congress convenes in January.
In the Senate, Democrats flipped at least seven Republican-held seats, winning competitive races in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Kansas hasn’t elected a Democratic party Senator in 94 years, and victories in a number of states long-considered Republican strongholds give Democrats at least a 54 seat majority. Alaska and Mississippi are also likely to change parties as Republican incumbent candidates trail in ongoing ballot counts.
In the House, Democrats secured at least 254 seats compared to 163 for Republicans, with 18 races still uncalled. Republicans trail in seven undecided contests. When the dust settles, Democrats are likely to have their largest House majority since 1991, when they held 267 seats in the 102nd Congress. The party is poised to pick up at least 40 seats, positioning House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to become the next Speaker of the House.
“IEC looks forward to working with new congressional majorities and leadership from both parties on policies supported by IEC and its 4,500 member electrical contractors and 23,000 electricians enrolled in apprenticeship programs offered by IEC’s 54 chapters and partners across America,” IEC Executive Director Amy Biedenharn said. “The electrical contracting and overall construction industry face many challenges that require bipartisan solutions benefitting all industry stakeholders and taxpayers.”
Voters also delivered significant Democratic victories in gubernatorial races and state legislatures, further shifting the political landscape across the country. Democrats flipped governorships in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas, giving the party a majority of governors’ offices for the first time since 2010. Democrats also won majorities in several state legislative chambers and established new state government trifectas, where one party controls both legislative chambers and the governor’s office. These results will give Democrats additional power over state-level labor, workforce, energy, and infrastructure policy heading into 2027.
Tuesday’s results represent a significant setback for President Trump and Republicans, who entered the election controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House. Polling indicated voter frustration over the cost of living, inflation, energy prices, and the war in Iran, which contributed to broad Democratic victories across traditionally competitive and Republican-leaning districts. While the results do not necessarily represent an endorsement of every Democratic policy priority, they give Democrats a powerful platform to challenge the Trump administration’s agenda and establish the legislative priorities for the next two years.
“The affordability concerns that drove swing voters in this election align with several priorities on IEC’s advocacy agenda,” Ben Brubeck, IEC’s head of government affairs and Principal and CEO of Government Affairs, said. “IEC’s support for robust apprenticeship and pro-growth policies helps create high-paying career opportunities in construction. IEC’s leadership in advancing permitting reform and opposing anti-competitive project labor agreements can help lower energy and construction costs, benefiting taxpayers and supporting America’s economic growth.”
A Look Ahead at IEC Policy Priorities
For the merit shop electrical contracting industry, the election creates opportunities and challenges. Workforce development, apprenticeship, energy infrastructure, permitting reform, tax policy, and the nation’s growing demand for electricity will remain important issues before Congress. There is considerable bipartisan recognition of the need to expand the skilled construction workforce, strengthen domestic manufacturing, modernize the electric grid, and build the infrastructure necessary to support economic growth. However, disagreements over energy tax credits, federal spending, labor policy, and the role of government in workforce development could make legislative progress more difficult.
Democratic control of Congress will also bring increased scrutiny of the Trump administration’s regulatory and policy decisions. House and Senate committees are expected to pursue investigations and oversight involving federal agencies, energy policy, trade, immigration, and the administration’s implementation of existing laws.
Of particular interest to IEC members, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is expected to take the gavel of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. As chairman, Sanders will have significant influence over the direction of federal labor and employment policy, Department of Labor oversight, future National Labor Relations Board appointments, and federal apprenticeship programs. His leadership is likely to bring renewed attention to organized labor’s legislative priorities, including proposals contained in the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act that may receive support from labor-friendly Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
“Legislation codifying government-mandated project labor agreement mandates, expanding prevailing wage requirements, and undermining worker freedom will remain red-line issues for IEC as we educate new members of Congress about the consequences of these proposals,” Brubeck said. “IEC will be laser-focused on defeating legislation and regulatory initiatives that undermine worker choice, limit competition, and harm the roughly nine out of 10 construction workers who are not union members. We will also be watching for opportunities to build bipartisan opposition to policies that restrict employers’ ability to recruit and develop the skilled workforce America needs.”
The election also raises questions about the future of bipartisan permitting reform and other efforts to accelerate infrastructure and energy development. Growing electricity demand from data centers, advanced manufacturing, electrification, and other emerging technologies is creating an urgent need for additional generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. Policymakers from both parties recognize the importance of addressing these challenges, but differences over energy production, environmental reviews, and regulatory priorities could complicate efforts to enact comprehensive reforms. The need to build more infrastructure, however, presents an opportunity for IEC to reinforce the essential role electrical contractors play in powering the nation’s economy.
With Democrats taking control of Congress, the remainder of the current 119th Congress will take on added importance. Republicans will have a limited window during the lame-duck session to advance legislative priorities before Democrats assume committee gavels and congressional leadership positions in January.
A December 11 government funding deadline, the annual defense authorization bill, bipartisan permitting reform, and other unresolved legislative matters will receive renewed attention. However, with only approximately 20 legislative days remaining before the end of the year, lawmakers will face considerable pressure to pass these bills before the new Congress convenes.
In the 120th Congress, House Democrats are expected to retain Jeffries as their leader, positioning him to become the first Black Speaker of the House. Senate Democrats will also select their leadership team as they prepare to assume the majority. Republicans, meanwhile, will face the challenge of reorganizing their congressional leadership and determining how best to work with an administration that will have to contend with an increasingly adversarial Congress. While Democrats will have greater influence over the legislative agenda, President Trump retains his veto authority and significant executive powers, making bipartisan cooperation necessary for major legislation to become law and avoid congressional gridlock.
Stay Engaged in Politics
For IEC, the election reinforces the importance of maintaining strong relationships with policymakers on both sides of the aisle. IEC will continue advocating for policies that expand access to high-quality apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities, support merit-based electrical contracting, encourage investment in America’s electrical infrastructure, and ensure employers have the flexibility to train and develop the next generation of electricians.
As the political landscape changes, IEC members must remain engaged with their elected representatives and help policymakers understand the workforce challenges and opportunities facing the electrical contracting industry.
The next two years will undoubtedly bring a more contentious political environment in Washington. But the nation’s need for skilled electricians, reliable electricity, and modern infrastructure is not a partisan issue. IEC will continue working with lawmakers of both parties to advance policies that strengthen the electrical contracting industry, expand career opportunities, and ensure America’s workforce is prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy.
IEC members interested in supporting pro-merit shop candidates and policies can make a difference by completing IEC PAC’s prior approval form that authorizes IEC to solicit eligible company contacts to make a contribution to IEC PAC. Industry stakeholders can also support IEC’s broader advocacy efforts through corporate or personal contributions to IEC’s Freedom Fund. For better or for worse, the 2028 election cycle is already underway.