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Posted on 10/21/2026 6:01:51 AM PDT by Red Badger
(The Epoch Times)—Even as Republican campaign spending intensifies and the president holds rallies across the country for candidates, many forecasts still look grim for the party in power.
Observers from across the political spectrum predict that Democrats will retake the House, and maybe even the Senate.
What’s on the agenda if Democrats win big?
Lawmakers and insiders have outlined a range of possibilities and priorities, including pushback against the Iran war, renewed attention to data centers and artificial intelligence (AI), and congressional investigations targeting everything from the Trump family’s finances to the Epstein files.
Yet, President Donald Trump’s vetoes may limit Democrats’ effectiveness in implementing an affordability-focused plan touted by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), as could disputes within that party.
Still, some potential outcomes, such as even more delays or blocks of Trump’s judicial and Cabinet nominees, seem baked into the cake—especially so if Democrats capture enough seats to bypass tie-breaking votes from Vice President JD Vance.
Pollsters Rich Baris and Mark Mitchell, both of whom predicted Trump’s 2024 victory, see Republicans on track to lose the House and possibly the Senate.
During a Sept. 30 press conference, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that his party was working to take the Senate in part to stymie the president’s nominees for the Supreme Court and other courts.
Other possibilities—for instance, another Trump impeachment or two downstream of anticipated investigations—are far short of inevitable, at least partly because of the costs they may impose on some Democrats.
Impeachments
One man who understands the costs of an impeachment proceeding is Joe Cunningham.
The South Carolina Democrat entered the House after an upset victory in 2018, flipping a longstanding Republican district during a midterm election cycle that saw Democrats pick up dozens of seats in the lower chamber.
The lawmaker, who was a member of the moderate Blue Dog Democrats, lost his 2020 reelection bid to the current representative, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
“I could argue that I lost my seat because of my impeachment vote,” Cunningham told The Epoch Times, adding, “I don’t have any regrets at all.”
Retreading that familiar territory could hurt Democratic incumbents in purple districts, he said, arguing that Democrats should prioritize economic issues rather than an impeachment proceeding he predicted would “consume all the oxygen.”
A Senate conviction—the step after impeachment that would actually remove Trump from office—would need support from two-thirds of that chamber. That’s hard to imagine in even the rosiest midterm scenarios for Democrats.
Jeffries, though a vocal Trump critic who has accused him of unprecedented corruption, has not committed to impeaching the president.
Of course, Trump is not the only administration official Democrats might try to impeach.
Since the second Trump administration began, House Democrats have taken initial steps to oust Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Attorney General Todd Blanche has also faced heavy scrutiny from congressional Democrats, who opposed his nomination.
He’s also encountered criticism from his own party, including from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) who accused Blanche of failing to comply with his legislation demanding the release of the Epstein files. A cosponsor of that bill, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), floated impeachment of Blanche in September.
That month, Massie also introduced articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, alleging his conduct of the Iran War has violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973. An early House recess short-circuited a push for a vote before the midterms.
Lindsey Cormack, a political scientist at the Stevens Institute of Technology noted Khanna’s support for the Hegseth impeachment in an interview with The Epoch Times, saying he “will likely be targeted.”
Investigations
The bigger—and broader—story might be investigations.
A flurry of subpoenas could hit those in and around the administration as Democrats seek to highlight alleged corruption.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have previewed possible probes into 1789 Capital, Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm, and cryptocurrency deals involving the president and his family.
Despite the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act in 2025, redactions in them have driven controversy and could also spur action.
Khanna has said his fellow Democrats should make the Epstein files a major focus in the event they regain control of Congress.
The Justice Department has said the redactions in the files are intended to protect Epstein victims and their families.
Dave Spencer, host of the Practically Political podcast, advised Democrats to pick their battles carefully.
“If they launch too many investigations at once, the American people could begin to see it as overkill,” he told The Epoch Times.
Data Centers and AI
Democrats may tackle two closely related issues currently in the spotlight—data centers and AI.
The proliferation of data centers, closely linked to the AI boom and backed by the president, has faced pushback in some local communities.
The Republican-backed Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation aimed at constraining the higher electric bills that hit some consumers after data centers arrive, passed the House but failed in the Senate before that chamber recessed.
Democrats have touted a different data center bill, the GRID Savings Act, that would make the companies building out data centers pay for grid and transmission upgrades associated with the boom. GRID stands for Guarding Ratepayers from Increased Demand-costs.
Adam Swart of Crowds on Demand, a paid protester firm, weighed in on grassroots opposition to the buildout to data centers, describing it as “one of the strangest emerging bipartisan issues.”
“Tucker Carlson-style Republicans and progressive Democrats increasingly oppose them, while the establishments of both parties largely support them. I suspect Congress eventually passes ‘reform’ that sounds restrictive but actually makes it easier for the industry to build,” he told The Epoch Times.
AI could also spur action.
Amid the tech competition with China and AI-driven economic growth, Trump has cautioned against excessive regulation of the technology, which he has dubbed “super intelligence.” Yet some lawmakers, including many Democrats, want more guardrails on those systems as some industry leaders publicly worry about AI safety.
Cunningham said that while he is not in line with the leftmost wing of the Democrats, AI regulation would be “more populist than socialist,” and important for his party to address to win back support for 2028.
On Oct. 7, Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), who has worked with Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) on legislation to regulate AI, published a draft version of a bill that would impose a stricter liability standard on AI developers.
Other Priorities Carmack, the political scientist at the Stevens Institute of Technology, told The Epoch Times she expects Democrats to apply pressure on AI and another contentious matter—immigration—through both legislation and spending negotiations.
Spencer too expects immigration to fuel spending battles between Republicans and Democrats.
Reconciliation bills passed by the GOP-controlled Congress have locked in years of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If Democrats perform well enough in the midterms, they could also step up their challenges to tariffs, food stamp cuts, the scope of military spending, and the Iran War, among other Trump policies.
The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, premium subsidies, which triggered the longest government shutdown in history in late 2025, may come back into focus too.
Jeffries and Schumer have both vowed to tackle ACA restrictions championed by Republicans.
Legislation unveiled on Oct. 1 by the New York Democratic delegation, which includes both legislators, would roll back limits to the scope of those who can use ACA premium tax credits, a result of last year’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
“The ACA subsidies are a hugely popular issue, and Democrats would almost certainly make restoring them a priority,” said Spencer.
Limits and Division
Insiders and experts see a narrow and highly political path to some action as the threat of a Trump veto looms over possible Democratic attempts to legislate on their affordability promises.
Spencer said Democrats could “advance popular legislation that would require Trump to either sign it or veto it.”
Cunningham said Democrats could force hard choices through bills targeting the costs of everyday goods. He hopes the party will pursue legislation on prescription drug prices and anti-competitive practices by large corporations.
If Democrats rule Capitol Hill, they will still have to manage conflicts in their own camp.
At the Democratic National Committee’s August meeting, dueling resolutions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement—one calling for reform, the other for abolition—underscored ideological divides within the party.
Republican control of Congress during the first half of Trump’s second term was marked by conflict, both between different wings of the party and between the House and Senate.
Whether Democrats curb their infighting or not, the future looks explosive.
“This will be an adversarial two years in the run-up to the 2028 presidential elections,” Cormack predicted.
Democratic dominance on Capitol Hill—and just how adroitly they tangle with Trump—would also give voters a yardstick ahead of 2028.
“If Democrats want to build a lasting majority—if they want to build some momentum going into 2028—they’ve got to start making deliveries for people, for Americans who are getting crushed under this economy,” said Cunningham.
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The only 'affordability plan' democrats have is to take money from the middle and working classes and give it to their pet victim groups... If they get elected the whole time will be spent getting revenge and pushing commie and sexual weirdo agendas on the rest of us.
The big hullabaloo over Data Centers is a fake controversy created by the Democrats, their media, and China. After the election, the focus on Data Centers will fade, because Democrats want their cell phones to continue working too. The whole controversy was conjured up to stoke fear and win votes for the Democrats.
When I Voted yesterday, there were no lines. Overall, even though the Ds are coming out, I feel there is still more Rs that will have voted. It’s just a feeling that hard to quantify for you. But I am at Peace about it.
“What Could Democrats Do If They Win the Midterms?”
Add $4 trillion to the national debt when the GOPe will add only $2 trillion. /sarcasm intended
I’m optimistic. Go back to when Scalia died. The replacement(name not worth remembering) was held up until the elections so the people could decide. It did have an effect on the outcome. Pressure brings out the best in us.
Early voting turnout is up all over Texas!
The filthy America-hating bastards will impeach Trump, open the borders, stop deportation, give Iran money, implement DEI, and encourage savage middle easterners to infiltrate the country and kill thousands.
If Dems win, I predict very interesting hearings for Jared, Witkoff, and Alina Habba. Dem leadership might find those more politically profitable than another failed impeachment.
I think that the one positive is that we might get a compromise on data centers.
Well summarized and quite correct. I believe the democrats will win, and win big. Trump has become his own worst enemy, with his antics (for example, becoming a watch salesman) undermining his impressive accomplishments. That we have become enmeshed in another un-winnable war, and that the cost of living for those of us in the middle class has continued to increase at a fearsome rate (and no, I don’t believe for a second that fuel prices will EVER come down to anything close to what they were) have alienated conservative/traditional people (like myself) to a much greater degree than most want to admit. Democrats will come back, and be ten times worse than before. They will be in full-on attack mode both socially and politically. We might very well have our first femi-communist administration, led by Cortez and Omar, in 2028. Sounds dire, but I do believe this is where we are today.
LOL! Paid protestors are NOT grassroots!
And that’s just the first week......................
According to the data I'm seeing, it appears that we will keep the Senate.
We need to improve GOP turnout in Kansas, Iowa and North Carolina.
What will democrats do if they win the House?
Impeach
Prosecute
Persecute
Riot
Loot
Set fires
Spend like crazy
Embezzle the public treasury
Push sexual perversion
Normalize insanity and criminality
Bingo. Modern data centers generate their own power and often put more back into the grid. Net cost to consumers: zero. Also they also recycle water. Total usage is about as much as a large hotel swimming pool or two. This isn’t out of the goodness of their hearts. It’s simple economics.
The data center thing is all garbage for low information aka Democrat voters.
PS Hey Democrats: watch cable, use a phone, use the internet, etc.? A data center is involved. Idiots.
Trump controls all aspects of your statement with the power of the verb and control of the border. All the Dems will be able to do is impeach him again and that’s about all.
Trump controls all aspects of your statement with the power of the verb and control of the border. All the Dems will be able to do is impeach him again and that’s about all.
Just like in 2021-2025.
Fundamentally destroy America as we know her.
we will hold it.
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