Donald Trump's "red wave" has ended Governor Gretchen Whitmer's (D) brief "trifecta" in Michigan's state government - just another victory for Republicans to savor as Democrats reckon with an electoral blowout.

Republicans have taken control of the state House in Michigan, ending a two-year period in which Democrats controlled the entire state. 

Whitmer's "trifecta" gone

Democrats flipped the state House and Senate in 2022, giving them total control of state government for the first time in 40 years. Governor Whitmer won her second term in 2022 comfortably.

Over the last two years, Whitmer has used her majority to push an aggressive, liberal agenda, championing "trans" issues, unions, and gun control.

Republicans needed to win two seats to gain the majority, and the AP projected they would flip at least four. The gains leave Whitmer, who is term-limited, with less power to pursue her leftist agenda in the two years she has left in office.

“Our hard-fought victory reaffirms that the people of Michigan want leaders who put them first, uphold the rule of law, and advocate for accountability at every level of government,” said House Republican Leader Matt Hall.

“With a Republican majority, Michigan will have a stronger voice fighting for the values of hardworking families and addressing the issues that matter most — safe schools and neighborhoods, an affordable economy, and a government that provides value for dollars.”

Trump's red wave

While Democrats still have the Michigan state Senate, the party lost its narrow 56-54 majority in the House. The Michigan state Senate was not up for grabs this year.

The Michigan GOP's gains were part of a national "red wave" seen as a backlash to "woke" liberalism. Whitmer, an advocate of the woke agenda, is leaving office in 2026.

“I’m willing to work with anyone who is serious about solving problems, and I look forward to collaborating with the incoming majority on our shared goals from infrastructure to economic development," Whitmer said.

Republicans failed to flip a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan and some other swing states, but still took back the Senate and kept control of the House. President-elect Trump won the popular vote and every battleground state including the "blue wall" of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The results have locked Democrats out of power in Washington D.C., where President-elect Trump will return for a historic second term in January with a Republican "trifecta."