Voters fill out their ballots at Scarborough High School in Scarborough, Maine, on Nov. 3, 2026. Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Australian politicians have offered their views on the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections, following the Democrats taking control of the House and Senate.
At the time of writing, Democrats have won 240 seats in the House of Representatives, compared with 147 for Republicans.
In the Senate, Democrats have secured 54 seats, while Republicans have won 44.
‘A Great Democratic Event’: Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the midterm election result was a “matter for the American people” and referred to the elections as a “great democratic event.”
“The most important thing to say here is that our alliance with the United States remains at the forefront of our strategic policy,” he told reporters.
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“And we manage that alliance irrespective of who is governing the United States and for that matter, irrespective of who is governing Australia.
“We will continue to work with the Trump administration, and actually, we have a very good working relationship.”
Education Minister Jason Clare said high fuel prices were a major factor behind the US midterm election results.
“I’m sure I speak for every Australian when I say the sooner the war ends the better and the Strait of Hormuz opens and things get back to normal as soon as possible,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Meanwhile, Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg said U.S. voters appeared to have cast their ballots based on issues such as inflation.
“I think what this means for most Australians is they’re going to be working out how can they get rid of Albo [Prime Minister Anthony Albanese] and [Treasurer Jim] Chalmers,” he told told Nine’s Today program.
“How can they actually sack these people that have presided over this massive inflation nightmare?
“People who have run, now, a government for five years, have spent so much money, have wasted so much money, and, of course, so much economic pain here at home.”
Greens Leader David Shoebridge expressed excitement over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s election as the first Muslim to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Former Ambassador Draws Comparison to Clinton Era
Former Australian ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey told ABC’s 7.30 program that President Donald Trump could develop a more pragmatic working relationship with Democratic leaders following the party’s gains in Congress.
Hockey said Trump now had a “more identifiable opponent,” pointing to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer as potential negotiating partners.
He compared the potential relationship to the one between former President Bill Clinton and Republican congressional leader Newt Gingrich, whose political rivalry involved public clashes as well as negotiations over legislative compromises.
“There will be public spats between Trump and the leaders of the Democratic Party, and I also think sooner or later there’ll be some pragmatic outcomes in the Congress,” Hockey said.
