It was a big night for the Democrats in yesterday's US midterm election, seizing control of both houses of Congress in a result seen as a rejection of President Donald Trump's agenda.
The party gained majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate, flipping seats in deep-red states like Texas and Kansas.
They now control the legislative branch and can pass or block legislation, chair committees, investigate the Trump administration, and influence judicial appointments through the Senate. But with Trump still holding executive power and the ability to veto anything they put on his desk, the Democrats still won't have total control.
So what comes next?
1News US Correspondent Logan Church explained what the Democrats' win could mean for decision-making and US President Donald Trump. (Source: Breakfast)
Dr Timothy Fadgen, a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Auckland, told 1News that first, the Democrats will reassert Congress' role in the constitutional system.
"What you'll see before there's any major legislation put forward is committees being formed and questions being raised about some of the conduct of the executive.
"Then there will be legislative efforts to try to rein in some of the executive excess that we've seen in recent years."
After that, he said they would likely start setting out their agenda for the 2028 presidential election.
Fadgen believed it was a chance for the Democrats to look into the perception of corruption within the Trump administration – which was on the minds of voters heading into the election. In yesterday's AP Voter poll, roughly half of voters said government corruption and the cost of living were "crucial" in their vote.
But immediately trying to impeach Trump was "politically foolish", he said.
"The clearest message that came out of the results yesterday is widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo, and the desire to see positive change made in areas affecting everyday life – cost of living, fuel prices and healthcare costs."
Democrats and Trump now have an opportunity
Fadgen said the midterm results gave both Democrats and Trump an opportunity to find common ground.
"President Trump has proved himself to be an agile figure when it comes to his legislative priorities and policy objectives," he said.
"So there's a real opportunity here for him to build on this and to really cement his legacy as quite a consequential president, even in the face of these devastating losses."
The Democrats would be "unwise" not to extend a hand to Trump, Fadgen said, as it could bring them big benefits ahead of the next election.
"If they choose to put legislation forward for political messaging, rather than for policymaking, then I think that it will be vetoed; people will support Trump's vetoes.
"I think it is important politically, as well as substantively, for the Democrats to engage in some sort of negotiation with the Republicans that remain in the House and Senate and put a branch out to the people in the White House."
He said exit polls showed voters weren't in love with the Democrats, just frustrated with the state of politics in the country.
"It's either Coke or Pepsi there. If Coke's in the White House, then we're going to pick Pepsi, because we're mad at Coke right now."
"I think that people right now are in the mood to swing the bat into their open hand and get excited for a fight... I'm not sure that that's the approach that the voters want."
Fadgen said Trump and his officials would need to be "a little bit more mindful" of what they're doing after two years of being able to do what they want.
"While the Supreme Court has extended immunity to the President for certain acts that he takes in the conduct of his office, that doesn't automatically extend down to his officials.
"Now there's certainly some teeth down Pennsylvania Avenue."
'The American people's opinions change'
A big takeaway from the election was that it showed those watching from the outside that Americans know what they're voting for.
"People around the world were looking at America and starting to think that Trump wasn't just an anomaly, but that maybe the American people really think this way," Fadgen said.
"At least they can now look and say, actually, no."
He said, "The American people's opinions change", with many seeing evidence of what the country had voted for over the last two years.
"They've turned away from it.
"It also, hopefully, will rehabilitate the view of many about the American political system in America more generally."
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including Trump's big admission about a Republican voting collapse, and rescuing a deer trapped in a frozen river. (Source: 1News)
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