Democrats Weigh Congressional Power as 2028 Divisions Grow

Democrats could regain significant influence over Washington if they win control of either chamber of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, gaining new authority to investigate President Donald Trump's administration, influence federal spending, and challenge Republican policies. However, internal party divisions and limited legislative power could complicate their efforts and create problems ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

According to CNN's October 27 analysis, a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives or Senate would give the opposition stronger oversight powers and greater negotiating leverage over government funding. Democrats could also use congressional hearings and investigations to scrutinize Trump's executive decisions.

Nevertheless, Republicans could retain enough influence to block major Democratic proposals. The party is also unlikely to secure sufficient Senate votes to advance legislation independently, while overriding a presidential veto would remain particularly difficult.

Trump has already indicated that he would take a confrontational approach toward a Democratic-controlled Congress.

"What happens is I veto everything, and then the Democrats come and they want to make a deal," Trump said last week.

Federal spending would become one of the most important battlegrounds. Democrats could use annual appropriations legislation to negotiate changes to immigration policy, government programs, and other administration priorities.

They could also challenge funding for Trump's proposed projects in Washington, including a triumphal arch and a championship-level golf course. However, reversing provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would require substantial funding, especially as the national debt has exceeded $40 trillion.

Another major dispute could emerge over the debt ceiling. Republicans increased the borrowing limit by $5 trillion through Trump's tax and spending legislation, but another increase is expected to become necessary in 2027.

Healthcare policy presents a separate challenge. Enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies expired at the end of 2025, contributing to a 58% increase in premium payments this year. Several million people have subsequently dropped their health insurance coverage.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, permanently extending the enhanced subsidies could cost $350 billion over 10 years. Democrats would also face pressure to reverse Medicaid reductions and reconsider the first-ever federal work requirement scheduled to begin on January 1 in most states.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has identified affordability as a central Democratic priority. His party is examining housing, healthcare, caregiving, gasoline and utilities, and groceries and consumer goods as areas requiring policy changes.

Jeffries has also outlined three immediate objectives: ending the war involving Iran to reduce energy costs, reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring enhanced healthcare subsidies, and repealing Trump's tariffs to lower consumer prices.

However, achieving those objectives would require cooperation from Republicans and potentially Trump himself, limiting what Democrats could accomplish even with congressional majorities.

Meanwhile, the October 30 analysis published by The Globe and Mail highlights another challenge: the possibility that a Democratic victory in November could intensify ideological divisions within the party before the 2028 presidential contest.

Former President Barack Obama has campaigned for Democratic candidates in Ohio and Michigan. His criticism of Trump's White House renovation attracted attention after he joked about its gold-plated decorations.

"looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory," Obama said, mocking the president's interior design choices.

The remark triggered criticism from Trump supporters, who portrayed Obama as an elitist disconnected from ordinary Americans. The Globe and Mail analysis questioned whether the joke would help Democrats mobilize voters, particularly Black communities in Michigan.

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faces difficulties securing support among African-American voters. He won a contested Democratic primary with backing from Arab and progressive constituencies but struggled among Black primary voters, creating a potential obstacle in his race against Republican Mike Rogers.

Rogers, a former House member, recently shared an X post referring to El-Sayed, who is Muslim, as a "terrorist." The controversy adds another dimension to an already difficult Senate contest.

El-Sayed's candidacy has also exposed disagreements between progressive activists and the Democratic establishment. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders have actively supported him, while moderates worry that a stronger progressive movement could complicate the party's efforts to win the White House in 2028.

El-Sayed previously criticized Obama in 2012, accusing the former president of maintaining military conflicts and violating civil liberties.

"leader who has perpetuated war, violated our civil liberties, [and] deported more people from our shores than any other president before him," El-Sayed said of Obama.

The Senate map could nevertheless provide Democrats with opportunities beyond Michigan. Texas and Kansas are considered potential Republican vulnerabilities because of controversies surrounding their candidates.

In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico in the most expensive Senate contest in the state's history. Advertising spending by both campaigns has exceeded $500 million, while Elon Musk provided an indirect boost of $158 million to Paxton.

If Democrats lose Michigan but capture Texas and Kansas, they would still need to win three additional Republican-held seats to secure Senate control. Their strongest opportunities include North Carolina, Ohio, Alaska, and Maine.

Maine presents a particularly complicated contest involving Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, a former state Senate president. Collins has voted against Trump's agenda more frequently than any other Republican senator, according to The Globe and Mail analysis, while retaining a lengthy electoral record.

Jackson has attacked Collins during the campaign, calling her a "puppet" and telling her to "shut up" during a debate. His confrontational approach has raised concerns among some Democrats about the potential consequences of replacing Collins.

Trade policy is also influencing voter attitudes in Michigan and Maine, where Trump's tariffs against Canada have become an electoral issue. The disputes have added another source of tension in states where voters are weighing the economic and political consequences of the administration's policies.