Al Jazeera opinion: Gaza outrage drove Democratic wins in 2026 US midterms

An Al Jazeera opinion piece published November 5 argues that American public outrage over Gaza was the decisive factor in Democrats winning control of both the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.

The column points to the Michigan Senate race where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers despite record spending by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). AIPAC and its affiliates spent nearly $30 million to defeat El-Sayed in the Democratic primary and continued spending against him in the general election, benefiting Rogers. Former primary opponent Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers days before the vote, citing El-Sayed’s opposition to Israeli military actions and U.S. funding for them.

Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the morning after the elections that the coalition that elected Donald Trump in 2024 had decided the 2026 results. Vance said voters were motivated by four priorities, including opposition to war, and stated that many of those voters chose Democrats. Donald Trump Jr. publicly endorsed Vance’s analysis, and President Trump called it "good" while maintaining support for the war.

Polling cited in the piece showed 62 percent of voters explicitly called the joint U.S.-Israeli initiation of war with Iran "wrong," while 74 percent identified the war as a crucial or major factor in their votes. The column argues that affordability concerns are inseparable from war costs and the influence of Israel in U.S. foreign policy.

The author warns both parties that the anti-war coalition belongs to voters, not to any party or elite group. The piece concludes that if politicians refuse to listen to demands to end the violence, they too can be replaced.

Source: Al Jazeera.