Victorious Democrats outline plan of attack for 120th Congress

By Thérèse Boudreaux
The Center Square 

With 60 days until the start of the next Congress, triumphant Democrats are outlining a gameplan that focuses largely on addressing voters’ affordability concerns and attempting to undo many of President Donald Trump’s policies.

Since Democrats clinched majorities in both the House and Senate – flipping at least 29 House seats and seven Senate seats, as of Wednesday afternoon – they will not only steer every congressional committee in the 120th Congress, but will also do so with significant majorities.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who is poised to replace current House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in the 120th Congress, celebrated the so-called “blue wave” in a Wednesday presser, dubbing it “an American tsunami.”

“The American people have chosen common sense over corruption, chaos, and cruelty…because they want to see a dramatic change in direction, and that's exactly what House Democrats will deliver, beginning on day one,” Jeffries told reporters. “We've promised to fight for an affordable America, and that's exactly what we will do.”

According to Jeffries and other Democratic leaders, their cost of living strategy will target Trump’s tariff policies and the ongoing conflict in Iran, both of which have spurred rising gas and grocery costs.

However, Democrats likely won’t have the two-thirds supermajority votes needed to override Trump’s vetoes on any legislation repealing his tariffs or cutting off military spending.

But they may have more success in their plans to boost Obamacare subsidies or reverse the cost-cutting changes to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in Republicans’ signature “One Big Beautiful Bill,” given that a handful of Republicans had previously expressed willingness to work on legislation that would delay or soften the cutbacks.

It is also unclear how much Republican support Democrats would receive in their plans to place more guardrails around AI development and hyperscale data centers, which became a flashpoint in the midterm elections.

“Republicans are going to have to choose…if they continue to embrace Trump, they are going to be following him right over the cliff,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is poised to lead the Senate in the 120th Congress, told the media Wednesday. “Americans are calling for accountability.”

Democrats in both chambers also plan to ramp up oversight investigations – particularly into Republican figures involved in the Epstein files scandal, the Trump family’s most recent business dealings, and the Department of Homeland Security’s crackdown on illegal immigration that has resulted in record low illegal border crossings and mass deportations.

House Democrats have also hinted that they intend to introduce an impeachment resolution against Trump, which would likely pass in the House given that Democrats are projected to hold at least 255 seats.