Five reasons why Republicans lost so badly

Trump has given conflicting messages about how he might deal with Democrats in Congress after his party's resounding defeat.

Donald Trump deals in superlatives, so there is political karma in the sheer size of the defeat handed to him by a big majority of the voters of America. But do not expect him to go gentle into the political twilight of his career. Losing both houses of the US Congress limits his capacity to dictate, manoeuvre and disrupt at home. As president of the United States and commander-in-chief of its armed forces he retains broad powers to use America's military might.

Americans are electing members of Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. All 435 House seats are up for election. In the Senate, only 35 of 100 seats are being contested because senators serve six-year terms. This results tracker shows both the races being decided now and the 65 seats that are not up for election this year - 34 held by Democrats and 31 by Republicans. Kansas woke up on Wednesday to sunny skies and historic new leadership after days of rain, hail and tornado warnings - amid a tempestuous election battle that ultimately swept a new brand of blue politics into the deep-red state.

Some Republicans tell the BBC the president's focus on his legacy and indifference to voter concerns cost them.