It’s a bit of a trick question, isn’t it? If you’re typing who is winning the US election right now into your search bar, you might be caught in a bit of a time warp or just super curious about how the current power balance is shaking out.
The short answer? The election is over.
Donald J. Trump won. He’s currently the 47th President of the United States. He took the oath on January 20, 2025, after a 2024 campaign that felt like it lasted a century. But "winning" in Washington D.C. in 2026 isn't just about who sits in the Oval Office. It’s about who’s actually getting their way in a Congress that is, quite frankly, a mess.
The 2024 Results: How We Got Here
Let’s look at the hard numbers for a second because they still drive the narrative today. In the 2024 election, Trump didn’t just squeak by; he put up 312 Electoral College votes against Kamala Harris’s 226.
He swept all seven swing states. That’s Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. For the first time since George W. Bush in 2004, a Republican also won the popular vote. He pulled in about 77.3 million votes. Harris landed around 75 million.
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The "winning" part of that equation gave the GOP a mandate, or at least that’s what the White House calls it. But as we’ve seen over the last year, a mandate on paper is way different than a mandate in practice.
Who is Winning the Legislative War?
Right now, in early 2026, the question of who is winning the US election right now has shifted from voters to lawmakers.
The Republicans hold the House and the Senate, but "control" is a strong word. We’re currently in the second session of the 119th Congress, and it’s basically a high-stakes staring contest.
Remember the "One Big Beautiful Bill" from last year? That was the GOP's massive reconciliation package. It was their big win. But since then? Gridlock. Pure, unadulterated gridlock.
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- The Government Shutdown: We just came off a 43-day government shutdown—the longest in history.
- Internal Feuds: It’s not just Dems vs. Reps. It’s Trump vs. certain wings of his own party. High-profile resignations, like Marjorie Taylor Greene leaving her House seat earlier this month, show that the "winning" side is actually pretty fractured.
- The 2026 Midterms: Everyone is already looking at November 2026. Technically, the "win" for the next election cycle hasn't happened yet, but the campaigning has already started.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Current" Winner
Honestly, people often forget that winning the presidency doesn't mean winning the courts.
President Trump is currently facing hundreds of legal challenges regarding his executive orders. The Supreme Court is the real arena where the "winning" is being decided this week. They are looking at cases involving reciprocal tariffs and the removal of federal employees. If the Court rules against the administration, the 2024 victory starts to feel a lot more limited.
There’s also this weird misconception that the 2024 election is still being "decided." It isn't. The results were certified over a year ago. If you see headlines suggesting otherwise, they’re usually clickbait or talking about the 2026 midterm projections.
The 2026 Midterm Landscape
If you’re asking who is winning the US election right now in the context of the upcoming 2026 midterms, the answer is "it’s complicated."
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Usually, the party in the White House loses seats during the midterms. That’s the historical "pendulum effect." Right now, about 46 House members have already said they aren’t running for re-election. That’s a lot of open seats.
- The Democratic Strategy: They are leaning hard into the healthcare crisis and the fallout from the recent government shutdown.
- The Republican Strategy: They’re focusing on the economy and the "crypto capital" initiative, trying to show that their 2024 win translated into actual growth.
Actionable Insights for Following the 2026 Power Shift
Since you’re looking for who’s on top, don't just watch the polls. Polls are sorta shaky this far out.
Instead, watch the Special Elections. We have a run-off in Texas-18 coming up at the end of January 2026. Those little races are the "canary in the coal mine." They tell us if the 2024 momentum is staying with the GOP or if a blue wave is building for the midterms.
Also, keep an eye on the Supreme Court docket. The executive branch can sign all the papers it wants, but the Judicial branch is currently the one "winning" the right to say what actually becomes law.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, stop looking for 2024 news and start tracking the 119th Congress’s legislative calendar. That’s where the real score is being kept. Check the special election dates in Georgia and California coming up this spring; those will be the first real indicators of which party is actually winning the hearts of voters as we head toward the next national vote.
Next Steps to Stay Informed:
- Monitor the Texas-18 special election results on January 31, 2026, for the first pulse check of the year.
- Follow the Supreme Court’s expedited decisions on trade and tariffs, as these will define the administration’s power for the rest of the term.
- Track the House and Senate legislative session days (150 scheduled for this year) to see if any major policy actually moves past the current deadlock.