The Republican Fallout: What Comes Next Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Vote Watch • Rio Dell Times • 11.4.26 • as of 9:40 a.m. PT
Editorial: Rio Dell Times endorsed Steve Hilton for Governor.
Latest • Wednesday, Nov. 4
Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate (NBC News; AP). Steve Hilton conceded to Xavier Becerra Tuesday night and laid out the GOP’s next targets: “2028, we end the Democrat supermajority in the state legislature. 2030, we elect a Republican governor in California” (KTVU FOX 2). House Speaker Mike Johnson told staff Wednesday he will not run for minority leader (NBC News; AP).
California: AP projected Becerra the winner Tuesday night (AP). He led Hilton 64% to 36% with about 59% of the expected vote in, as of 9:21 a.m. PT Wednesday (NBC News results, AP data; New York Post); counting continues. Hilton: “The change we hoped for may be delayed, but the change is coming” (KTLA 5; AP).
Washington: Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats, in Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina (AP). Johnson: “I’m disappointed, too, but we are never discouraged” (USA TODAY video).
What comes next: Johnson: “Come 2028, we will take back the House” (Washington Times). House Republicans pick their leadership candidate Nov. 10 (NBC News); Senate Majority Leader John Thune intends to run for minority leader, a source told Fox News.
Details: results, reactions and what is still uncalled (click to open)
California results
Hilton conceded about an hour after polls closed and set goals of breaking the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature in 2028 and electing a Republican governor in 2030 (LAist). To Becerra: “Enjoy it while it lasts. We’re going to have a Republican governor in 2030” (KTVU FOX 2). Of his campaign: “It is a model for how Republicans should fight. Positive, creative, with solutions” (KTLA 5).
AP called lieutenant governor for Democrat Fiona Ma over Republican Gloria Romero (ABC10) and attorney general for Democrat Rob Bonta over Republican Michael Gates (ABC10).
Prop. 39, the voter ID measure the California Republican Party endorsed, failed; AP declared it defeated with 49% of votes counted (CalMatters via LAist; CalMatters; FOX 11).
House: AP called the 1st District for Democrat Mike McGuire over Rep. James Gallagher (R), and the 6th for Democrat Richard Pan over Rep. Kevin Kiley, who left the GOP this year (CalMatters).
Legislature: early returns had GOP candidates struggling in toss-up races, and Democrats are likely to keep their supermajorities in both houses (CalMatters).
Republican strategist Tim Rosales: Republicans “let the Democrats take the affordability issue away from them” (KCRA 3).
Washington
Democrats will hold at least 231 House seats to 141 for Republicans and at least 54 Senate seats, with races still being counted (Ballotpedia, as of 1:30 a.m. ET). Democrats flipped governorships in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas (Stateline). In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds won, the first Black Republican elected governor (AP; Stateline).
President Trump, on Truth Social Tuesday night: “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” He told The New York Times he is “absolutely willing to accept” the results (Axios). Calling into Fox News, he said, “I think the Democrats did a good job” (USA TODAY video; AP).
Vice President JD Vance, on X Wednesday: “The reason we lost is the war” (NBC News; Politico).
Thune: “Senate Republicans will not stand idly by as the far-left, socialist wing of the Democrat Party attempts to unwind everything we’ve done” (Washington Times).
A Republican strategist on CNN: “We’ll bounce back, Republicans” (CNN).
Still uncalled (as of the reports cited)
California’s 22nd (Rep. David Valadao, R, trails Democrat Randy Villegas; Villegas declared victory) (SJV Sun; KQED).
California’s 48th (open; Democrat Marni von Wilpert leads Republican Jim Desmond and declared victory) (KQED).
California’s 40th, Rep. Ken Calvert vs. Rep. Young Kim, both Republicans; Calvert led (CalMatters).
Governor races in Alaska and Kansas (Stateline). Reform California said many California races are still too close to call (Reform California).
Clips used under fair use for news commentary; sources are credited in the video.
