Black Representation in the 2026 Midterm Elections

The 2026 Midterm Elections produced several historic wins, including gains in Black representation in gubernatorial offices and the Senate. At the same time, Black representation may decrease in the House. Our overview is below.

This will be updated as races are called.

120th Congress: About 61 Black members of Congress so far, down from 65. That’s roughly 55 voting House members and 6 to 7 senators.  Both totals leave out the two non-voting delegates.

Senate: 6 to 7, which is a record number of Black representation in the Senate, however, this would only make the Senate 6% to 7% African American, while African Americans are about 14% of the population.

• Elected Tuesday: Senator-elect Juliana Stratton (D-IL), the only new member, and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), re-elected.

• Not up this year: Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

• Black senators go from 5 to 6, but the results of the Mississippi Senate race are still underway, so the total of Black Senators could rise to 7 if Scott Colom (D) wins.

House: About 55 voting members, down from about 60.

Starting point (119th Congress): 65 Black lawmakers in total, not including delegates. That’s 5 senators and about 60 voting House members.

Seats moving to non-Black members (−8):

• All 4 Black House Republicans: Congressmen Byron Donalds (R-FL), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), and John James (R-MI) ran for higher office, and Congressman Burgess Owens (R-UT) seat was redrawn.

• Al Green (D-TX) and Marc Veasey (D-TX), whose districts were redrawn.

• Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), who retired. Adam Hamawy (D-NJ) won the seat.

• Cleo Fields (D-LA). That seat won’t be decided until Dec. 12, but the district is now only about one-quarter Black.

New seats won by Black candidates (+3):

• Melat Kiros (D-CO), the first Black woman Colorado has sent to Congress

• Adrian Boafo (D-MD), who replaces Steny Hoyer (D)

• Darializa Avila Chevalier (D-NY).

Black successors to departing Black members (no net change):

• Donna Miller (D-IL)

• La Shawn Ford (D-IL)

• Jasmine Clark (D-GA)

• Oliver Gilbert (D-FL)

• Frederick Haynes III (D-TX)

• Chris Rabb (D-PA)

Held despite redrawn maps: Shomari Figures (AL-02) and Don Davis (NC-01).

Net: About 60 − 8 + 3 = about 55 voting House members, a loss of about 5. Four of the five lost Black congressional representatives come from Black Republicans who left their congressional seats. This results in no Black Republican congressional House representation and so far only one less Black Democratic congressional house representative from the record high representation of the 119th Congress in 2025.

Governor Races: 

Five Black governors were elected Tuesday. That’s more than double the number ever elected in U.S. history, from three to seven. Before this election, no two Black governors had served at the same time. In January, five will.

Lost: Jermaine Johnson (D-SC), John James (R-MI), Lisa Demuth (R-MN), and Fred Love (D-AR).  This makes 5 of 9 Black major-party nominees who won.

In history

• Ever elected: 7.  Before Tuesday, there were three: Governors Doug Wilder (D-VA, 1989), Deval Patrick (D-MA, 2006), and Wes Moore (D-MD, 2022). Bottoms, Donalds, Ford, and Crowley bring it to seven.

• Ever served: 9. Two Black governors took office without being elected: P.B.S. Pinchback (LA, 1872-73) and David Paterson (D-NY, 2008-10).