Democrats’ victories in Tuesday’s elections shifted control in Congress and several state governments, in a result that could influence higher education policy for years. Young voters were a major part of the win: 70 percent of voters aged 18 to 29 supported Democrats, according to The New York Times, a 17-point increase from 2024. Black, Latino and college-educated voters also contributed to the party’s gains.
As of Wednesday evening, Democrats held a 54-to-44 majority in the Senate and a 237-to-147 majority in the House, although some races remained undecided. The party also flipped governors’ offices in Iowa, Ohio and Texas, among other state-level gains. Higher education advocates say the results create an opportunity to pursue lower college costs and respond to changes made by the Trump administration, while the new lawmakers will face expectations to deliver on campaign promises.
The change in Congress will remove several prominent figures from Republican higher education policymaking. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, lost her seat to former state legislator Troy Jackson. Collins had supported programs including TRIO and Pell Grants, while Jackson has criticized the administration’s efforts to dismantle the Education Department and campaigned on college affordability.
In North Carolina, Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx appeared poised to lose to Democrat Chuck Hubbard. Foxx was behind by 99 votes on Wednesday night and said votes remained to be counted. She had led or served as the senior Republican on the House education committee from 2017 to 2025. Her departure, along with the earlier loss of Sen. Bill Cassidy, leaves Republicans facing questions about their future legislative priorities for colleges and universities.
State-level results could also alter university governance and funding. Democrats broke Republican supermajorities or trifectas in Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Texas, and established Democratic trifectas in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. They also broke Republican supermajorities in Florida, Kansas and North Carolina. Governors and state lawmakers can influence universities through funding decisions and appointments to governing boards.
The American Association of University Professors, which endorsed candidates for the first time, saw 11 of its 12 endorsed candidates win. Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won a Senate seat, and all nine AAUP-endorsed Democratic House candidates prevailed. Florida state representative Angie Nixon was the sole endorsed candidate to lose. AAUP president Todd Wolfson said the organization plans to make endorsements again in the next election cycle.
Ballot measures produced a mixed set of outcomes for higher education. Arizona and Nebraska voters approved restrictions barring transgender students from competing on college sports teams aligned with their gender identity. A similar Colorado measure appeared likely to pass, but had not been called. Arizona voters rejected proposed restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion measures, while Wisconsin approved a constitutional amendment barring preferential treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity and other characteristics at public institutions.
Voters in Rhode Island approved $275 million in bonds for campus construction and renovation, and New Mexico approved $352 million for higher education projects. New Mexico also changed its process for selecting university regents: nominating committees will put forward candidates for the governor’s approval, though the governor will retain the appointment power. In California, voters approved a permanent extension of a tax increase on top earners to fund K–12 schools and community colleges. The outcome of a separate $8.4 billion bond proposal for immunology research had not been finalized, though it appeared likely to pass.
Higher education groups urged the incoming Congress to focus on affordability, student debt and access. The Alliance for Higher Education said it hoped the new Congress would check what it described as attacks on access to higher education. Protect Borrowers called for lower costs and debt relief for working families, while the National College Attainment Network said the results reflected public concern about the cost of education and other everyday expenses.
Sources: Inside Higher Ed.