Overview
- House Democrats say they are buoyed by 2025 gains and are centering their 2026 case on affordability and health care, highlighting costs for housing, energy, food and medical care.
- A closely watched Tennessee special election tightened dramatically, with Republican Matt Van Epps winning by 9 points in a district Trump carried by 22 points in 2024.
- Commentary and polling cite Democratic advantages, including a Marist finding of a 14-point national ballot lead and Trump approval measured as low as 36% in one survey and 42% in the RealClearPolitics average.
- Democrats plan to keep attacking the administration’s major health law, branded by them as the “Big, Ugly Law,” even though the Medicaid eligibility tightening they cite takes effect after the 2026 contests.
- Analysts urge the White House and congressional Republicans to extend health insurance tax credits covering roughly 22 million people, warning that premiums could surge without action.