2026 Election Recap: A New Political Landscape and What It Means for Housing

What a night! Tuesday’s election delivered a sweeping Democratic wave, changing the balance of power in Washington and Raleigh. For GCAA members, the results set the stage for new relationships, different legislative priorities, and an evolving debate over housing affordability.

Below are the major takeaways and what they could mean for our industry.

Federal Spotlight: Democrats Win Control of Congress

Democrats won control of both the U.S. House and Senate. Senate pickups extended beyond traditional battlegrounds to include Texas, Kansas, Iowa, and South Carolina, underscoring the breadth of the election’s results. With races still unresolved, the final size of both majorities remains unsettled.

Congressional Balance of Power

Preliminary standings reported November 4; remaining races will determine the final margins. The Senate Democratic total includes two independents who caucus with Democrats. Alaska and Mississippi remain undecided.

Mississippi’s Senate contest between Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Scott Colom remains one to watch. As someone who grew up in Hattiesburg, I find that especially remarkable: Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982.

U.S. Senate: Both Carolinas Flip

• North Carolina: Former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley, flipping the seat held by retiring Senator Thom Tillis. Cooper becomes the first Democrat elected to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2008.

• South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham, becoming the first Democrat to win a South Carolina Senate election since 1998. This result is particularly relevant to our members in Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and throughout York County.

North Carolina Congressional Races: Major Upsets Reshape the Delegation

Several Republican-held congressional districts shifted toward Democrats, including two particularly notable upsets:

• District 14: Democrat LaKesha Womack led Republican Congressman Tim Moore with all precincts reporting, positioning her to unseat the former North Carolina House speaker.

• District 9: Democrat Richard Ojeda defeated Congressman Richard Hudson, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

• Other significant flips: Democrats Cyril Jefferson in District 6, Jamie Ager in District 11, and Paul Barringer in District 13 also emerged ahead in Republican-held districts.

North Carolina entered the election with 10 Republicans and 4 Democrats in its U.S. House delegation. Current returns point toward 9 Democrats and 5 Republicans, with a possible tenth Democratic seat depending on the exceptionally close District 5 race. District 3 also remains extremely tight. These preliminary standings should not be treated as final calls.

State Spotlight: A New Balance of Power in Raleigh

Democrats appear to have reclaimed the North Carolina House for the first time since losing control in the 2010 election. Republicans appear positioned to retain a narrow Senate majority, but without their veto-proof supermajority.

The House figure is a working tally; published counts vary as close races are resolved. The Senate outlook also depends on a close race that could face a recount.

For our region, notable legislative changes include Ken McCool’s defeat of Representative Tricia Cotham, Thomas Monks’ defeat of Representative Jonathan Almond, Chris Bishopp’s defeat of Representative Brian Echevarria, and April Cook’s victory in Senate District 34. Senator Woodson Bradley also retained her Mecklenburg County seat.

The practical result is a General Assembly where neither party can advance its agenda without navigating the other chamber. For housing policy, that makes relationships and bipartisan agreement especially important.

Other Statewide Results

Justice Anita Earls won reelection to the North Carolina Supreme Court, preserving its 5–2 Republican majority. Democrats also won the three Court of Appeals contests on the ballot. Voters approved constitutional amendments addressing voter identification, the state income-tax cap, and limits on local property-tax increases.

Local Spotlight: Mecklenburg Remains Democratic; Charlotte Bonds Pass

Democrats won all nine Mecklenburg County commissioner seats, maintaining the board’s 9–0 Democratic majority. Three new commissioners will join the board:

• Morris “Mac” McAdoo — District 1

• Monifa “Mo” Drayton — District 2

• Charles DeLoach — District 5

Charlotte voters also approved the city’s housing, transportation, and neighborhood improvement bonds, which GCAA and the Rental Housing Alliance supported. Thank you to our members who helped communicate the importance of these investments and encouraged participation in the election.

My Take: What This Means for Our Industry

I have followed politics for a good part of my life, and even I was stunned by some of Tuesday’s results. Gains for the party outside the White House are common in midterm elections. What stood out this year was the depth of those gains, from the top of the ticket to legislative races further down the ballot.

For our industry, I expect this shift to influence the housing policy conversation. We have spent much of the past several years advancing proposals to increase supply, reduce barriers to development, and improve the operating environment for rental housing. Those priorities remain essential, but we should also expect greater attention to tenant protections and proposals that would place new requirements on housing providers.

A Democratic House does not mean every proposal will become law, particularly with Republicans positioned to retain the Senate. It does mean we need to prepare for a different debate.

Our responsibility is to explain clearly how proposed policies affect the cost of building, operating, and maintaining rental housing, and ultimately the affordability and availability of homes for residents. That work will require practical examples, credible information, and sustained engagement with returning and newly elected officials.

There will likely be challenges. There will also be opportunities to educate, advocate, and build new coalitions around a shared goal: making housing more accessible and affordable.

GCAA will continue working with elected officials in both parties to represent our members and advance policies that support a healthy rental housing market.

Now it’s time to get to work.