Democrats are projected to win more than 250 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, giving the party its largest House majority since the 2008 election. The projected gains amount to a sweeping midterm victory, although several races remain unresolved and the final seat count may change as votes are counted.
The Democratic majority is accompanied by record gains for women candidates. At least 132 women are projected to serve in the House in 2027, including 111 Democrats and 17 Republicans who have already won their races. Four additional contests feature women candidates from both major parties, and 24 other House races involving women remain too close to call.
The updated estimate is lower than an earlier figure of 158 women cited in initial election coverage. The latest count distinguishes between projected winners and unresolved races. If confirmed, the projected total of 132 women in the House would exceed the previous record of 127 set in 2024.
Women are also on track to reach a new high in state leadership. At least 17 women 14 Democrats and three Republicans are expected to serve as governors in 2027. Two gubernatorial contests involving women candidates, in Alaska and Kansas, remain unresolved, so the final total could change.
Several victories would mark firsts in state history and national politics. Georgia Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is projected to become the first Black woman elected governor in the United States and the first woman to lead Georgia. In New Mexico, Democrat Deb Haaland is set to become the first Native American woman governor. Democrat Gina Hinojosa is projected to become Texas’s first Latina governor after defeating three-term Republican Governor Greg Abbott.
Other gubernatorial victories would bring additional milestones. Amy Acton is projected to become the first woman elected governor of Ohio. Marsha Blackburn is set to become Tennessee’s first woman governor, while Amy Klobuchar is projected to become Minnesota’s first woman elected to the office. The results would add to the number of women leading state governments and broaden the range of backgrounds represented in those positions.
The gains extend beyond governors’ offices. In Minnesota, Democrat Peggy Flanagan is projected to become the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. In Illinois, Juliana Stratton’s projected Senate victory would bring the number of Black women serving in the Senate at the same time to three, alongside Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland. Stratton’s win would also make Illinois the first state represented by two women of color in the Senate.
House races have produced further historic outcomes. Colorado Democrat Melat Kiros is projected to become the first Black woman elected to Congress from her state. Nebraska Democrat Denise Powell is projected to become the first Latina to represent Nebraska in Congress and the first Democratic woman elected to the state’s House delegation.
The number of women in Congress will not be settled until the remaining contests are called. The current estimates separate races that have projected winners from those still too close to call, and the final totals could therefore shift. The unresolved races may also affect the exact size of the Democratic majority.
Even with those contests outstanding, the midterm results point to two major changes: a strong Democratic recovery in the House and record representation for women in Congress and state government. The projected House majority would give Democrats their largest margin since 2008, while the incoming class of women lawmakers and governors would include several firsts.
The results also show that gains are not limited to one office or one state. Women candidates are projected to make history in the Senate, House and governor’s mansions, while the overall number of women in elected office is expected to rise. The final figures will depend on the remaining vote counts, but the projected outcomes already mark a significant election for women’s representation in U.S. politics.
