Overview
- Voters handed Democrats control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, a deciding shift that gave the party wide margins in both chambers.
- House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries formally asked for support to be speaker and is on track to become the first Black person to hold the gavel when the new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027.
- Democratic leaders pledged a 100‑day affordability agenda focused on lowering prices for groceries, gas, housing and health care and backing bipartisan bills like the housing affordability measure passed this year.
- With committee chairs expected to flip in January, Democrats gain the authority to hold hearings, issue subpoenas and open investigations into the Trump administration, with impeachment of officials described as an available option.
- Major limits remain: President Trump can veto bills, the Senate still requires supermajorities for many measures, several close races remain unresolved and Republicans keep formal control until the new Congress is seated, prompting GOP leadership contests during the lame‑duck period.