Midterm Elections: Democrats Won. Now What?

My Political Thoughts | By Kevin Harvey

Democrats won the 2026 midterm elections. The Associated Press called control of the Senate on election night and the House early the next morning. So yeah, enjoy the win. Then turn the damn confetti machine off. What are Democrats going to do with the power voters just gave them? Associated Press election calls

Watch my full take on YouTube

Why I want Chuck Schumer out of Senate leadership

In March 2025, Schumer voted to advance a Republican funding bill. He said a government shutdown would give Trump and Elon Musk more room to gut federal agencies. I get why that worried him. But when a fight over funding comes down to the wire, I want to know what our side is demanding, what it got, and what it was willing to walk away over. Senate vote record · Schumer’s floor remarks

With Democrats set to control the Senate, the next leader will have a bigger say in which bills get a vote. Use that power. Tell people what you want before the negotiations start. If the final deal falls short, say what you gave up and why. I’m tired of finding out what the party was supposedly fighting for after the fight is over.

Why I want a different Speaker than Hakeem Jeffries

I’m from Brooklyn. I know what it means to see somebody from here lead House Democrats. Jeffries deserves credit for keeping his members together in a Republican-controlled House and helping move some bills through even from the minority. His own office points to the use of discharge petitions, a way to bring measures to the floor when House leaders won’t schedule them. Jeffries’s official biography

Running the House is a different job. The next Speaker has to decide what comes up for a vote and what the party is willing to fight for when Trump pushes back. I want House Democrats to hear from more than one candidate before they make that choice. Ask each of them what bill they’d put on the floor first, what they’d investigate, and what they’d demand in the first big budget fight. If the whole pitch is “I’ve been here, so it’s my turn,” man, go sit down.

What Democrats should do after winning the midterm elections

• Start with bills people can feel. Put health insurance costs and housing on the floor. Tell me whose premium could go down, who qualifies for help, and when they’d see it.
• Use oversight to answer real questions. Pick a few investigations with clear goals. Get the records, call witnesses, and explain what the evidence shows. A viral clip from a hearing is great. Finding out where the money went is better.
• Make the first budget fight count. Pick a few priorities, say what they are in public, and explain the deal afterward in plain English. People should be able to tell who fought for what without watching four hours of C-SPAN.

Trump still has the veto pen. A majority gives Democrats room to set the agenda, hold hearings, and make lawmakers take public votes. Overriding a veto takes a two-thirds vote in both chambers. That’s all the more reason to pick fights people understand and show them who’s standing in the way. U.S. Senate guide to vetoes

Democrats got my attention on election night. Now keep it. Before handing Schumer and Jeffries bigger jobs, make them explain why they’re the best people to run this Congress. Give their challengers a chance to make their case. My vote would be for new leadership.

Who would you put in charge of House and Senate Democrats? Watch my take and tell me in the comments.

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