5:00pm (ADST)
STATE OF THE RACE
- Democrats take the House: As widely expected, the Democrats won control of the lower house of US Congress. They will now be able to block Mr Trump's legislative agenda, as well as launch investigations into his business and electoral activities. Impeachment proceedings are now a possibility though widely seen as unlikely.
- Republicans keep the Senate: Also as widely expected, the Republicans have kept control of the upper house of US Congress. This year's map strongly favoured the GOP. As such, US Congress will become divided between the two major parties.
- A blue wave? Both parties are trying to control the narrative of whether Tuesday represented a rebuke of Mr Trump. The president tweeted that the day was a "tremendous success" while House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said "tomorrow will be a new day in America".
- Beto loses: Beto O'Rourke failed to beat Ted Cruz in Texas' Senate race, one of the most expensive in history. But he continues to light up social media for telling supporters "I'm so f***ing proud of you guys".
- Historic firsts: The midterms delivered several historic firsts. Jared Polis became the US' first openly gay man to win a gubernatorial election, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar became the first Muslim women elected to Congress and 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
3:50pm (ADST)
House Minority Leader and Democratic heavyweight Nancy Pelosi has spoken at the DCCC celebration party.
The former (and perhaps future) speaker of the lower house told supports that "thanks to you, tomorrow will be a new day in America. Remember this feeling".
"Democrats pledge a Congress that works for the people," she said, adding that Americans have "had enough of division".
3:30pm (AEST)
A Democratic House, a Republican Senate, what does it all mean?
On a practical level, Democrats will have far more power in Washington DC.
Control of the lower house allows them to block Mr Trump's legislative agenda and push their own policy.
They will now also be able to launch investigations of the president's opaque finances and Russian interference in his 2016 election, and possibly even push for impeachment.
On a symbolic level, the results show that the US has never been more divided.
Messy, loud politics will likely continue into the 2020 presidential election and perhaps beyond.
3:20pm (AEST)
Mr Trump has tweeted, calling the result a "tremendous success".
3:05pm (AEST)
CNN has called it. Democrats win the House and Republicans keep the Senate.
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