Democrats' plans if they win Congress
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The gist
Top House Democrats plan a shock-and-awe legislative sprint within hours of taking power, NYT reports.
Even with both chambers, the Senate filibuster and Trump's veto stand in the way.
Background
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic Leader of New York, is almost certain to become House speaker if Democrats win a majority in the Nov. 3 midterms. Democrats have spent months telling voters they will tackle an "affordability crisis" they blame on Republican policies — groceries, gas and health care — and fight what they call corruption in the Trump administration. With the election days away, reporting on their governing plans has focused on how fast they would move and what they could actually pass.
How it unfolded
- Oct 20, 2026USA TODAY reports congressional leaders from both parties are mapping out their agenda after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
- Oct 22, 2026An AP-NORC poll finds potential schisms in the Democratic Party if it wins a governing majority in November.
- Oct 23, 2026The New York Times reports top House Democrats plan a shock-and-awe legislative sprint within hours of taking power, including restoring health care subsidies and Medicaid resources and moving to end Trump's tariffs and the war with Iran.
- Oct 23, 2026POLITICO reports Democrats plan to force DHS and its immigration crackdown back into the headlines and to target Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
- Oct 23, 2026Responsible Statecraft reports Democratic lawmakers have begun planning post-midterm investigations into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), in line to be the No. 2 Democrat next year, said: "While Trump is still president, we're not going to pass visionary progressive legislation," adding that Democrats would reverse some decisions, stop others and slow him down.
- Party
- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats are "explicitly promising to fight for an affordable America" and will do everything in their power to make that happen.
- Party
- Sen. Chuck Schumer said Democrats will "do everything we can to lower costs" and to "clamp down on this horrible corruption and to end the chaos."
- Party
- Rep. Bennie Thompson, poised to chair the House Homeland Security Committee, said Democrats will investigate the administration "weaponizing DHS against Americans," its immigration policies and "blatantly corrupt self-dealing."
- Party
- House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that if Republicans keep power, "what we would do in the next two years is exactly what we have been doing already," citing border security, energy dominance and pro-growth policies.
Still unverified
The Telegraph reported that Democrats "hope to force embarrassing disclosures" from Hegseth's time at the Pentagon and, with the help of his "former allies," hope to "either build an impeachment case against him or provoke Donald Trump into dismissing him." There are also serious allegations that the Trump White House worked with favored lobbyists to dictate nonmerits-based resolution of investigations and litigation over objections of political and career staff at the DOJ Antitrust Division.