Democrats take control of Congress in midterm elections, with some races not yet called

stunning rebukeMore neutral: a rebuke

The adjective adds drama to the characterization of the vote.

Voters in the United States have delivered a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump, ushering in a new era of Democratic power that will…

Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)CBS News (Left)

stunningMore neutral: nationwide rejection

The adjective “stunning” adds drama to the description of the result without adding facts.

…the US Congress on Tuesday, capturing the Senate and House of Representatives in a stunning, nationwide rejection of Donald Trump.

Used byFrance 24 (Center)The American Conservative (Right)

routMore neutral: large defeat

‘Rout’ characterizes the margin of defeat beyond the seat counts given.

Tuesday’s midterm elections turned into a rout for Republicans, as Democratic candidates overperformed the polls to win in races…

Used byThe American Conservative (Right)Deutsche Welle (Center)

grim defeatMore neutral: defeat

The phrase adds a judgement of severity to the reported loss of House seats.

House Recap: A grim defeat for Republicans, but with Trump in White House, Dems will be hamstrung

Used byJust the News (Far Right)

hamstrungMore neutral: limited

The word predicts that Democrats will be unable to act, a judgement the reporting does not establish.

…Recap: A grim defeat for Republicans, but with Trump in White House, Dems will be hamstrung

Used byJust the News (Far Right)

reanimateMore neutral: revive

The word presents possible investigations as a revival of something dead, which adds judgement to a speculative point.

Although their options may be limited in legislating, they may reanimate investigations of Trump and his administration.

Used byJust the News (Far Right)

political reckoningMore neutral: election

The phrase dramatises the vote as a reckoning rather than describing it as an election.

Donald Trump faced a political reckoning on Tuesday as millions of Americans voted in midterm elections that could shift…

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

divisive presidencyMore neutral: presidency

Describing the presidency as divisive is a judgement about the president rather than a reported fact.

…shift the balance of power in Washington and define the final two years of his divisive presidency.

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

sending shock waves through WashingtonMore neutral: a major result in Washington

The phrase manufactures drama about the reaction in Washington without reporting it.

Democrats won control of the Senate on Tuesday, sending shock waves through Washington on a historic night that saw them flip seats in deep-red states such…

Used byRoll Call (Center)

Massive BlowMore neutral: Democrats win control of the Senate

The phrase dramatizes the result as a severe defeat for one party, beyond the reported seat counts.

Breaking: Democrats Deal Massive Blow to Republicans, Win Control of the Senate

Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

disastrous nightMore neutral: night of losses

Disastrous is a judgement about the night’s results in the outlet’s own voice.

The two chambers were wrenched from Republican control in a disastrous night for the president and his party.

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Trump NightmareMore neutral: Republicans lose Senate control

Nightmare is a dramatic judgement about the president in the outlet’s own voice.

Trump Nightmare as Democrats Take Senate to Control Congress

Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

failing approval ratingsMore neutral: low approval ratings

The word failing passes a judgement on the president’s ratings rather than giving the level of approval.

…candidates failing in states won just two years by President Trump, whose failing approval ratings was a huge drag on the GOP.

Used byThe Hill (Center)

seismic resultMore neutral: major result

Seismic overstates a Senate outcome that other outlets describe in plainer terms.

Democrats are expected to win control of the United States Senate, a seismic result serving as a direct rebuke of President Donald Trump and Republicans who have…

Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

massive shift in powerMore neutral: shift in power

The phrase adds drama about the scale of the change beyond the reported seat results.

The massive shift in power comes on a night when Democrats also flipped

Used byMother Jones (Far Left)

seismicMore neutral: nationwide

The word inflates the scale of the result beyond a description of the vote.

…Democratic Party won total control of Congress in the midterm elections, part of a seismic, nationwide rebuke of Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Used byRolling Stone (Far Left)

most chaotic, contested, and bitterMore neutral: a closely watched midterm campaign

The run of adjectives gives the campaign a dramatic characterization that the outlet presents as fact.

…though, as part of a hugely successful night capping off one of the most chaotic, contested, and bitter midterm elections in recent history.

Used byRolling Stone (Far Left)

major blowMore neutral: a setback for Trump’s agenda

Describing the result as a major blow to Trump’s agenda is a judgement of its impact.

Senate, ending the Republican majority and dealing a major blow to President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

Red-state revoltMore neutral: Republican losses in Republican-leaning states

Revolt dramatizes the result and implies a rebellion within the party, which the vote count does not establish.

Red-state revolt hands Democrats the Senate and full control of Congress

Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

Huge Blow to TrumpMore neutral: Democrats win Senate majority

Huge blow is a judgement about the result’s impact in the outlet’s own voice, not a reported fact.

Democrats Win Senate Majority in Huge Blow to Trump

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

decisive rebukeMore neutral: a defeat for Republican control of the Senate

Calling the result a decisive rebuke adds a judgement of its force beyond the vote count.

Senate, delivering a decisive rebuke of Republican control of governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of…

Used byPBS NewsHour (Center)

congressional resistanceMore neutral: a Congress that opposes President Donald Trump

Resistance is a label used by one side of the dispute over Trump, and it adds that side’s framing.

…Republican control of governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.

Used byPBS NewsHour (Center)

reject Trump’s agendaMore neutral: vote against Trump’s agenda

The verb assigns voters a motive of rejecting a policy agenda, which the vote totals alone do not establish.

Democrats win control of Senate as US voters reject Trump’s agenda

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

midterm thrashingMore neutral: decisive midterm wins

The phrase describes the result as a beating, a dramatic judgement rather than a plain account of the seat wins.

…victories in Iowa, Texas, and North and South Carolina, Democrats delivered a midterm thrashing repudiating President Trump.

Used byThe New York Times (Left)

repudiatingMore neutral: against

The verb presents the vote as a formal rejection of the president, a reading of voter intent rather than a reported fact.

…Iowa, Texas, and North and South Carolina, Democrats delivered a midterm thrashing repudiating President Trump.

Used byThe New York Times (Left)

stinging rebukeMore neutral: defeat for

The phrase characterizes the result as a painful rebuke, a judgement about its meaning rather than a description of the vote.

The Democratic Party gained control of Senate, delivering a stinging rebuke to US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

Used byDeutsche Welle (Center)

right-wing mediaMore neutral: name the outlet

Dismisses reporting by presumed politics rather than by evidence.

…highly coordinated scheme to steal an election is happening in real time...," a right-wing media outlet said in a X post, viewed more than 600,000 times.

Used byDeutsche Welle (Center)

huge shockMore neutral: an unexpected result

The phrase adds drama to an election result that the coverage describes in plain terms as a surprise against polls.

North Carolina was a likely pick-up but South Carolina was a huge shock and Kansas has not returned a Democratic senator since 1932.

Used byBBC News (Center)

derail his agendaMore neutral: limit his agenda

The verb implies that the new majority will wreck Trump’s agenda, a prediction stated as an outcome.

…the Senate in a midterm wave, gaining the power to block Trump’s nominees and derail his agenda.

Used byTIME (Left)

resounding rebukeMore neutral: defeat for his party

The phrase characterizes the election result as a rebuke, which is a judgement rather than a plain account of the vote.

In a resounding rebuke of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, Democrats will control the…

Used byTIME (Left)

Major Blow to TrumpMore neutral: Democrats Win Senate Control

The phrase calls the result a blow to Trump, a judgement about its effect rather than a report of the vote.

Democrats Win Senate Control in a Major Blow to Trump

Used byTIME (Left)

Republican bloodbathMore neutral: heavy losses

Bloodbath is a dramatic judgement about the scale of the losses.

Texas led the way in a Republican bloodbath on Tuesday that ended GOP control of the Senate.

Used byThe Washington Times (Right)

fiascoMore neutral: setback

Fiasco judges the Republican result as a failure in the outlet’s own voice rather than reporting the losses.

Democrats reclaim Senate majority in midterm fiasco for GOP

Used byThe Washington Times (Right)

spectacular drubbingMore neutral: decisive defeat

Spectacular drubbing is a judgement about the scale of the defeat in the outlet’s own voice.

AUSTIN, Texas — Democrats pulled off a spectacular drubbing of Republicans to reclaim power in the Senate Tuesday night, even without every…

Used byFox News (Far Right)

drastically shiftingMore neutral: shifting

The word adds dramatic emphasis to a change that the facts of the seat results describe more plainly.

Democrats have gained control over the United States Senate, drastically shifting power in Washington.

Used byOne America News (Far Right)

exultsMore neutral: celebrates

Exults adds a note of triumph beyond the reported words and emotion of the speaker.

Schumer exults over Democratic Senate: ‘Wow, wow, wow’

Used byThe Hill (Center)

seize controlMore neutral: win control

The verb suggests taking power by force, while the reported event is an election result.

Democrats seize control of the US Senate

Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

shockingly decisiveMore neutral: decisive

The adverb adds drama to a result that the vote totals describe on their own.

Senate, delivering a shockingly decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of…

Used byPBS NewsHour (Center)

Rebuke of TrumpMore neutral: Democrats win control of Congress in midterm elections

Describing the result as a rebuke of Trump states a judgement about his standing in the outlet's own voice rather than the vote count.

Democrats Sweep to Control of Congress in Rebuke of Trump

Used byBloomberg (Left)

devastating lossesMore neutral: losses

The word adds a judgement of severity beyond the reported results.

Watch midterm election results live: Trump suffers devastating losses as Democrats win control of House and Senate

Used byThe Independent (Left)

ArmageddonMore neutral: Democrats win House and Senate

The word is dramatic hyperbole that does not describe an election result in measured terms.

Armageddon

Used byNational Review (Far Right)

Momentous sweepMore neutral: Clear sweep of both chambers

The label adds drama to a result that the reporting itself describes in plain terms.

• Momentous sweep: Democrats have flipped control of both the House and Senate in a resounding and…

Used byCNN (Left)

historic unpopularityMore neutral: low approval ratings

Calling Trump's unpopularity historic is a judgement the excerpt does not support with a measure.

They capitalized on President Donald Trump’s historic unpopularity to win a major victory and significant power to check his final two years in…

Used byCNN (Left)

historic routingMore neutral: a decisive win

The phrase adds drama and judgement about the margin beyond what the results state.

Democrats deliver a historic routing to Republicans in US midterms

Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)

stormedMore neutral: won

Stormed suggests a forceful assault where the reporting describes an election win.

In the battle for the Senate, Democrats stormed to the majority by flipping GOP-held seats in Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Texas, North…

Used byFox News (Far Right)

crushing defeatMore neutral: a defeat

The phrase adds drama to the result beyond the vote totals reported.

As Democrats handed Republicans a crushing defeat in the midterms, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on X,…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

Seismic TriumphMore neutral: Major Wins

The adjective seismic dramatizes a midterm result that the wording could describe plainly as major wins.

A Night of Seismic Triumph for Democrats

Used byThe New York Times (Left)

historic defeatsMore neutral: election losses

Describing the losses as historic adds drama that the vote totals alone do not establish.

Democrats inflicted a string of historic defeats against the Republicans to take control of both chambers of Congress.

Used byThe Independent (Left)

huge victoryMore neutral: win

Calling the result a huge victory adds emphasis beyond the seat counts reported.

Midterm election results so far: Live maps and graphs as Democrats seal huge victory

Used byThe Independent (Left)

biting rebukeMore neutral: rejection

Biting adds an emotional tone to the description of voters’ choice that the vote count alone does not show.

US voters on Tuesday handed the Democratic Party control over Congress in a biting rebuke to President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement.

Used byFrance 24 (Center)

nationwide rebukeMore neutral: nationwide defeat of Republican candidates

The word frames the vote as a verdict on Trump in the outlet's own voice, which the results alone do not establish.

…States Congress, winning the Senate and the House of Representatives in a nationwide rebuke of President Donald Trump that is expected to slow the final two years of his…

Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)

thundering rebukeMore neutral: rebuke

The adjective “thundering” adds drama beyond the reported result, which the same sentence describes as a rebuke.

…Congress, with outrage over the cost of living and the war in Iran leading to a thundering rebuke of President Donald Trump and his party.

Used byBloomberg (Left)

being seen as a major rebukeMore neutral: a setback for Republicans

The phrase attributes the characterization to unnamed observers and presents it as the reading of the results.

The results are being seen as a major rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s Republicans, who were previously in control…

Used byAl Jazeera English (Left)

historic and dramaticMore neutral: large

The two adjectives add drama that the seat counts do not require; the outcome stands on the results themselves.

Democrats have won control of Congress in a historic and dramatic “blue wave” in the midterm elections.

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

backfiredMore neutral: did not produce the result Trump had hoped for

It asserts as fact that the campaign strategy failed, a judgement the vote totals alone do not establish.

The strategy backfired.

Used byNew York Post (Right)

stunning repudiationMore neutral: clear rejection

The adjective adds drama that the reported vote totals do not require.

…Democrats control of Congress in midterm elections on Tuesday, delivering a stunning repudiation of President Donald Trump.

Used byBloomberg (Left)

WipeoutMore neutral: defeat

The word adds drama beyond the reported result, which is a loss of House control and a shift in Congress.

Key Conclusions From Trump GOP’s 2026 Midterm Election Wipeout

Used byBloomberg (Left)

jaw-droppingMore neutral: striking

The word adds a sense of shock beyond what the election results themselves establish.

…was always a possibility, but the depth and breadth of their victories were jaw-dropping.

Used byNPR (Left)

BludgeoningMore neutral: Win Big

Uses a violent verb for an election result, adding drama beyond the vote count.

Democrats Deliver a Big Blue Bludgeoning

Used byThe New York Times (Left)

extinction level-eventMore neutral: a decisive defeat for Trump’s party

The hyperbolic term is used in the outlet’s own voice to describe the result, going beyond the vote totals it reports.

In case you fell asleep early, yesterday evening resonated as an extinction level-event for Donald Trump’s Republican Party, a worst-case scenario for the GOP that…

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

A world of miseryMore neutral: Investigations are expected to focus on Trump, his family and advisers

Uses an emotional label to describe expected investigations instead of describing them.

A world of misery is now headed toward Trump, First Lady Melania, his other family members, and…

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

hell-bentMore neutral: planning

Implies zeal beyond what is reported about Democrats’ plans.

Democrats are hell-bent on opening corruption investigations into all aspects of the administration and…

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

thorn in Trump's sideMore neutral: new lawmakers who will serve in the House

Casts the new lawmakers as opponents of the president in the headline rather than describing their role in Congress.

…sweeping control of Congress… resulting in these new lawmakers who will be a thorn in Trump's side

Used byDaily Mail (Right)

shellackingMore neutral: a large defeat

The slang word for a crushing defeat adds drama beyond the reported results.

Tuesday’s US midterm elections were a thumping, shellacking and extinction-level event rolled into one.

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

undoubtableMore neutral: large

Presenting the scale of the victory as beyond doubt treats an evaluation as settled.

The scale of the victory is undoubtable, and its message against Trump’s governance clear.

Used byNewsweek (Center)

governing mandateMore neutral: majority in Congress

A mandate is a claim about political authority that the vote totals alone do not establish.

…feared, giving Democrats decisive victories across the country and a governing mandate heading into 2027.

Used byCBN News (Far Right)

Rebuke of Trump AgendaMore neutral: Democrats win control of Congress

Calling the vote a rebuke of Trump’s agenda is an interpretation of the result, not a reported fact.

Democrats Sweep Midterms, Seize Control of Congress in Blue Wave Rebuke of Trump Agenda

Used byCBN News (Far Right)

monumental winsMore neutral: wins

‘Monumental’ is an evaluative adjective that the reported results do not establish.

Democrats celebrated monumental wins in the 2026 midterm elections, seizing control of the House of Representatives…

Used byCBS News (Left)

dominateMore neutral: win

‘Dominate’ implies a margin of victory beyond what the projected results state.

Democrats dominate midterm elections, regain control of Congress

Used byCBS News (Left)

once-in-a-generation realignmentMore neutral: shift in party control

Presents a characterization of the election’s significance as a historical superlative rather than a neutral description.

Voters from coast-to-coast deliver a once-in-a-generation realignment in the nation’s capital with Democrats seizing overwhelming control of…

Used byNBC News (Left)

shocking lossMore neutral: loss

Adds dramatic emphasis to the result, which the reported vote totals do not require.

…the nation’s capital with Democrats seizing overwhelming control of Congress in a shocking loss for President Donald Trump and the GOP.

Used byNBC News (Left)

blistering rebukeMore neutral: rebuke

The adjective adds drama to a result that could be described without a judgement of its force.

…elections, winning control of the Senate and the House as voters delivered a blistering rebuke to President Trump.

Used byThe New York Times (Left)

observers are callingMore neutral: Some outlets describe the result as a blue wave

The phrase attributes the ‘blue tsunami’ label to unnamed people rather than naming who uses it.

…Democrats overperformed on election night, sweeping to power in what observers are calling a "blue tsunami."

Used byPJ Media (Far Right)

gleefulMore neutral: celebrating

Attributes an emotional state to the newspaper’s editorial board that the article does not establish.

New York Times gleeful over Democrats huge midterm victories, says it's time to ‘feel pride’

Used byFox News (Far Right)

far-right administrationMore neutral: the Trump administration

The label far-right pre-judges the administration's politics rather than describing its actions.

…the country offer a resounding rebuke of President Donald Trump and his far-right administration.

Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

massive rebukeMore neutral: rejection

The words massive rebuke add emphasis and a judgement about voters' intent beyond the reported election outcome.

Democrats have flipped the US Senate and House of Representatives in a massive rebuke of Republicans and Donald Trump’s agenda.

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

thrashing RepublicansMore neutral: defeating Republicans

The verb thrashing adds a sense of defeat and drama beyond the reported election results.

…party is projected to win commanding majorities in the House and Senate after thrashing Republicans in key races up and down the ballot across the country.

Used byCNBC (Center)

crush the Republican congressional bulwarkMore neutral: end Republican control of Congress

The verb crush adds a sense of violence and drama to a reported loss of seats and control.

The blue tsunami will knock Washington on its head and crush the Republican congressional bulwark that both supported and shielded Trump through the first two years…

Used byCNBC (Center)

worst midterm defeat of any modern presidentMore neutral: a large midterm defeat for Trump

The superlative comparison to other presidents is asserted in the outlet’s voice without a cited source.

…Texas to Kansas to South Carolina, voters handed Donald Trump the worst midterm defeat of any modern president, and even his own vice president says the Iran war is to blame.

Used byMeidasTouch (Far Left)

sweeping rebuke of Donald TrumpMore neutral: a large defeat for Donald Trump’s party

The phrase adds an evaluative judgement of the election outcome in the outlet’s own voice.

…a rout that reached deep into Republican strongholds and amounted to a sweeping rebuke of Donald Trump, according to Reuters.

Used byMeidasTouch (Far Left)

Historic Rebuke of TrumpMore neutral: Democrats win majorities in midterm elections, a defeat for Trump’s party

Calling the result a rebuke and historic adds a judgement about Trump that the vote results alone do not state.

Democrats Seize Congress, Governorships, and Statehouses in Historic Rebuke of Trump

Used byMeidasTouch (Far Left)

desperate reminderMore neutral: a reminder

Desperate assigns Trump a state of mind that the reporting does not establish.

Trump responded to the rout with a desperate reminder of his power to veto the Democrats’ ability to legislate, as JD Vance squarely…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

crushing blowMore neutral: a significant loss

Crushing is a judgement of the size of the loss that the excerpt does not support with seat counts.

Donald Trump received a crushing blow in disastrous US midterms as the Democrats seized control of Congress, leaving the…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

disastrousMore neutral: major

Disastrous is an evaluation of the midterms rather than a description of the result.

Donald Trump received a crushing blow in disastrous US midterms as the Democrats seized control of Congress, leaving the president’s…

Used byThe Independent (Left)

humiliatedMore neutral: suffered losses in

Humiliated describes how Trump was treated, a judgement the reported vote totals do not state.

Donald Trump humiliated in US midterms as Democrats seize control of Congress

Used byThe Independent (Left)

tearing throughMore neutral: winning

The verb adds drama to a description of Senate races that the results themselves describe more plainly.

…historic gains on Tuesday night, easily winning both houses of Congress and tearing through red-state Senate races in a major rebuke of President Donald Trump and…

Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

devastating blowMore neutral: major setback

The headline's own wording calls the result devastating, a judgement about the scale of harm; the same result is described in plainer terms elsewhere in the coverage.

Democrats’ triumph deals devastating blow to Trump - The Latest

Used byThe Guardian (Left)

sludgeMore neutral: allegations of corruption and vindictiveness

The metaphor casts the administration’s conduct as filth rather than describing specific actions.

…to signal their anger over high food and gasoline prices, their disapproval of the sludge of corruption, chaos, and vindictiveness coming out of the White House, and their…

Used byThe Boston Globe (Far Left)

relishingMore neutral: celebrating

The verb describes the party’s mood with enthusiasm beyond the reported facts of the result.

Democrats awoke Wednesday morning relishing a sweeping midterm election victory.

Used byThe Christian Science Monitor (Center)

fracturingMore neutral: weakening

The verb presents the effect on Trump's coalition as a breakup, a judgement beyond the reported vote shifts.

3, fracturing President Donald Trump’s coalition and delivering double-digit swings in key…

Used byThe Epoch Times (Far Right)

so-calledMore neutral: (omit)

Sneer quotes in word form.

…that Democrats had succeeded in turning the 2026 US midterm elections into the so-called "blue wave" that had been predicted by pollsters.

Used byDeutsche Welle (Center)