Hollywood Celebrates the Blue Wave
From Jimmy Kimmel's late-night victory lap to John Leguizamo's “this is redemption time,” the stars came out for the Democrats' midterm sweep, and the history-makers gave them plenty to cheer.
UPDATED Nov. 5: It's official in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor's race after Republican Rick Jackson conceded, the first Black woman ever elected governor of a U.S. state. Senate races in Mississippi and Alaska are still too close to call.
Hollywood stayed up late on Tuesday, and it was worth it. Democrats won control of the House and seized a Senate majority in the 2026 midterms, and the entertainment world reacted like it was awards night.
Jimmy Kimmel was the first late-night host to take on the results, taping later than usual so he could mock President Trump over the losses, The Hollywood Reporter reported. John Leguizamo summed up the mood in four words: "This is redemption time."
Who was celebrating
Bette Midler and Viola Davis were among the stars cheering the results, along with Alyssa Milano, Molly Ringwald, Stephen Colbert, Mandy Moore and Henry Winkler, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. Even James Woods, one of Trump's loudest supporters in town, reportedly congratulated the Democrats.
The mood in HollywoodRedemption time. Billboard's headline put it simply: "Dreams do come true."
The history-makers
The night gave the stars plenty to celebrate. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor's race, becoming the first Black woman ever elected governor of a U.S. state. In Texas, James Talarico became the first Democrat the state has sent to the Senate since 1988, and Gina Hinojosa unseated Governor Greg Abbott. In Kansas, pastor Adam Hamilton became the first Democratic senator from the state since 1932.
And at home, California elected Xavier Becerra as its first Latino governor.
Election night at a glance
- House
- Democrats win control
- Senate
- Democrats take a majority
- Georgia
- Keisha Lance Bottoms wins, a historic first
- Texas
- Talarico to the Senate; Hinojosa beats Abbott
- California
- Xavier Becerra elected governor
- Still counting
- Alaska and Mississippi Senate races, some House seats
Reporting drawn from The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, NBC News, CBS News and the Associated Press. Results are preliminary.