What’s Happening
In a stunning victory for Democrats, Americans delivered historic midterm election results, with Democrats retaking the House and Senate. Voters rebuked the policies that defined the Trump administration, including draconian immigration policies, the Iran war, and rampant Islamophobia and xenophobia.
This is one of the biggest congressional majorities since the 1990s, giving Democrats seven new Senate seats and more than 42 new House seats. There are also 28 Democratic governors now, a net positive of five seats. As of today, there are still 13 races to be called. Although Democrats were confident they would retake the House, the sheer number of seats they ended up with was a shock.
In the end, it was the economy, the state of democracy, the war in Iran, and healthcare that drove voters to the polls. Interestingly, this was also the most expensive midterm to date, costing roughly $12 billion.
With majorities in both chambers, Democrats are positioned to direct the legislative agenda over the coming years through their structural control of leadership posts, committee operations, and chamber workflows. Although Representatives have two year terms, Senators hold theirs for six, meaning that for at least six years, Democrats will control federal judicial nominations and appoint Secretaries of executive departments like State and Defense (AKA War), executive and independent agencies, diplomats, and the US Attorney and US Marshals. This majority also gives Democrats the authority to determine floor agendas for resolutions and bills, regulate debate time, approve spending, issue subpoenas, and initiate oversight investigations.
For a full breakdown of election coverage, see last week’s Ballot Breakdown.
Our Perspective
For the past year, Trump sneeringly told crowds “Vote like I’m on the ballot.” Turns out, voters did exactly that. Clearly fed up with Trump and MAGA’s hateful, wasteful, and harmful policies, Americans came out in droves to deliver not a blue wave, but a tsunami.
Now Americans are turning to the next big question: how are Democrats going to meet the moment? There’s already been backlash to the Democratic leadership race positing Senator Schumer for Senate Majority Leader and Representative Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House. But Democratic voters see these men as relics of a bygone era, one dominated by Wall Street and special interest group-bought politicians who answer to the establishment, instead of to their base.
And with such a monumental win that will reverberate for generations, now is not the time for Democrats to screw up. The blue wave isn’t a new phenomenon; Americans experienced it in 2006 and 2018. But many can argue that Democratic leadership blew it, wasting all that organizing and campaigning. So it makes sense why Democrats are nervous and openly calling for a change in leadership.
And they should. Schumer and Jeffries are weak, ineffective leaders beholden to pro-Israel, corporate groups that aren’t even remotely representative of the base. Polling shows roughly 80% of Democrats hold an unfavorable view of Israel, and about 75% oppose continued U.S. economic or military aid. So why would Democrats continue to promote a stance very few of their voters agree with?
Are Republicans in the Mood to Try Bipartisanship?
Short answer, no. The House Freedom Caucus, the far-right wing group led by Republican Andy Harris, already wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson stating that the Republican Party’s goal should be to deny Democrats on every issue possible, such as codifying Trump’s vicious border security policies and strengthening their repressive voter ID laws.
Trump also has a plan in mind to discredit Democrats right from the start. When the new congressional session starts, he’s likely to further abuse his veto power to ensure Democrats can’t pass anything. He’s also banking on his “One Big Beautiful Bill”; the ramifications of which will be felt when Democrats take power. The bill, passed in July 2025 under a Republican Congress, was a cornerstone of Trump’s MAGA dream. It enacts roughly $900 billion in Medicaid cuts and $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with many of the harsher restrictions and paperwork rules strategically timed to take effect in 2027..
Democrats have pledged to counter the detrimental provisions by using their newfound control to redirect efforts towards lowering healthcare costs, protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and restoring research funding for agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it’ll be hard for them to fully repeal the OBBBA because of Trump’s veto power and the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
The Focus for the Next 20 Days
We’re not out of the clear yet. Members like Abdul El-Sayed, James Talarico, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and others don’t actually start working until January 3, 2027. For about the next five weeks, Congress will be in a lame duck session and it’s a good chance for Republicans and Trump to shove as much as they can through.
The biggest priority for everyone, however, is passing major spending must-pass bills, like the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and full-year Pentagon funding. Senate Democrats have been holding out on the NDAA, which is set to expire on December 11, and include a number of concerning provisions that are giving members pause. Section 1219, for example, integrates US and Israeli defence industries and changes Israel from a foreign aid-based country to a direct buyer, meaning the US no longer has the option of using conditions or aid restrictions to influence Israeli policies.
Iran is also on their minds. A huge influence on the midterm election results, the deeply unpopular and frankly pointless war is considered the primary driver of the Democrats refusal to pass the $1.5 trillion package, who call it a “permission slip” without any guardrails. Republicans, on their part, are upset with the obeisance Trump is showing by waiving sanctions on Russia.
Additionally, there’s speculation that conservative Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Samual Alito are set to retire. The Senate is given the power to confirm the president’s judicial picks, but since Democrats have the Senate majority come January, they’ll most likely block Trump’s (most likely unqualified) nominees. So Republicans, despite the two justices’ reluctance, are likely to push them to retire in order to shoe in Trump’s potential nominees. It’s a precarious situation for Republicans due to the tight timeline and long list of other pressing priorities. Regardless, the likelihood of Republicans being able to confirm a Republican-picked justice has plummeted, thanks to the midterm election outcome.
Supreme Court picks aren’t the only nominations on the line. Trump still has 161 total pending nominations awaiting Senate action, including 25 federal judicial nominees. GOP leadership and Senate Judiciary are rushing to hold back-to-back hearings and committee votes to clear as many names as they can. They recognize that once January hits, they’ll lose their golden opportunity to push Republican (including Project 2025 and MAGA) priorities.
In short, it’s chaotic in the Senate, which could work out for Democrats.
Democrats have signalled that once it’s January, they’re going to maximize their legislative leverage by pushing oversight investigations, including subpoenas, hearings, and budget controls, into Trump’s policies and shady deals, as they should. Accountability is high on everyone’s mind. Americans made it incredibly clear: this election wasn’t just a simple repudiation of Trump and MAGA’s nonsense; it’s also a demand for rooting out corruption, an end to crony capitalism and Big Tech’s invasive influence, and ultimately, a mandate that we refuse to return to the status quo.
It would be remiss not to note that the Republican strategy of running rhetoric of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, and anti-refugee tropes completely backfired and proved that hating minorities and Muslims is not a winning strategy anymore. Their attempts to control districts and create more seats for themselves resulted in Republicans losing 12 of the 15 gerrymandered districts they rushed to create ahead of the midterms. Coupled with their stupid attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), immigrants, and attempts to blame Biden for everything, it turns out pushing a “White First” agenda isn’t something most Americans want.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that the atrocious vitriol Muslim and minority candidates are subjected to every election cycle should be downplayed because of the election results. Rather, it should drive every single Democrat to reform the Democratic Party into one that fights for minority protections and rights. It means Democrats have an obligation to put an end to the anti-Muslim rhetoric that’s become so normalized. It also means they can no longer ignore their base, including Black Southern Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and young Americans who delivered Democrats their victory. Lawmakers have failed to remember they are public servants who answer to the people.
Let’s make sure they never forget and keep the pressure on them to deliver this time.
On Our Radar
Call to Action: Don’t Pass the NDAA with Section 1219
Section 1219 in the Senate version of the NDAA established the US Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, which integrates joint research, development, testing, and integration of Israeli and cooperative defense technologies into U.S. military programs.
It’s dangerous and Senators should demand its removal before agreeing to pass it. Contact your Senators and demand that they remove Section 1219 from the final version.
Representative Jim Jordan Picked for House Minority Leader
Republicans elected Rep. Jim Jordan beat out outgoing Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Rep. Jordan stated after his win, “Democrats offer more government. We will offer more freedom.” The Ohio Representative previously refused to cooperate with the Jan. 6 Panel., founded the far-right Freedom Caucus, claimed the 2020 presidential elections were stolen, and called for “Sharia Law” hearings as Chairman of the House Judiciary.
House Republicans Defeat Rep. Massie’s Bill to Impeach Sec. Hegseth
The House voted to block an effort led by outgoing Rep. Massie to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, killing the resolution and ensuring it would not face a full floor vote. Massie’s privileged resolution introduced eight articles of impeachment, including waging an unauthorised war, directing extrajudicial killings against traffickers, and the unlawful kidnapping of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
November 17, 2026: Join our webinar on The Art of Charitable Giving: Tax-Smart Strategies and Legacy Planning. Register now.
November 18, 2026: Join us in Washington, D.C. for a conversation with Mohammed Soliman, author of the recently published book, West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East. Register now.